Thiruvananthapuram: In 2015, an unprecedented incident happened at College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram ( CET ), one of the premier engineering colleges in the state. A group of students led a campaign ‘Break the Curfew’ alleging that the college promotes gender discrimination by closing girls’ hostel at 6.30pm. They alleged that various facilities including library were inaccessible for girl students.Three years later, there is literally no protest at CET. Those who led Break the Curfew campaign have passed out of CET and the college is continuing with its regressive rules.The college, with the support of parents of students, found a solution to the allegation on gender discrimination raised by the students. “The college introduced a library and gym at the ladies hostel and thus concluded the debate over gender segregation. Also, to put an end to the question of access to the library in the evening hours, the closing time was changed from 8pm to 4.30pm,” said a student.A former student said that the college authorities and parents, with their patriarchal minds, were adamant to end the strike. “There was literally no support from teachers and parents. When students raised protest, they tried to sabotage it by opening libraries within the hostel. We have argued that girls are being denied participation in discussions and projects after classes, which boys are free to do. Girls are not allowed to go out in the evening hours, citing security issues,” said a former student.The Break the Curfew campaign was started even before protests such as ‘Pinjra Thod’ at Delhi University, which won nation-wide attention. Break the Curfew had won support from various political parties with politicians like Shashi Tharoor MP and CPM politburo member M A Baby offering their support.In March 2015, students, mostly girls, spent a night outside the hostel as a mark of protest. Their major demand was to reduce the hostel curfew timings. As per rules, students are to get back to hostels by 6.30pm. They raised demand to extend it to 9.30pm. Despite several rounds of protests, the college management refused to accept their demand, citing security issues, including, lack of compound wall and streetlights in the campus.

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