Iranian Universities Intensify Hijab Enforcement

After the September 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini and the subsequent protests, Iranian universities have also faced heightened repression and intensified control.

The government's new "Population Growth" initiative, coupled with mandatory hijab laws, has transformed universities into enforcers of these policies, placing additional pressure on female students.

Under the policy, universities offer academic grades and incentives for observing mandatory hijab, marrying, or having children, effectively turning these institutions into vehicles for promoting the Islamic Republic’s ideological goals.

Mandatory Hijab Tied to Academic Performance

Recent reports from multiple Iranian universities obtained by IranWire reveal an increased push to enforce mandatory hijab compliance among students.

Some university professors have begun awarding "Islamic and moral attire" points to comply with government-mandated dress codes. The professors, often teaching specialized and practical courses, sometimes allocate up to five points for midterm and practical test scores based on adherence to the hijab.

A visual arts student in Tehran told IranWire, “For two years now, different methods have been used to suppress students. Some professors have even stated on the first day of class that midterm or practical exam scores will start at 15 or 16 out of 20, with the remaining points dependent on hijab compliance.”

She noted that this approach, particularly pervasive in hands-on and practical courses, has intensified since the start of the new academic year.

Students' attempts to challenge these practices, which contradict Ministry of Science guidelines, have gone unheeded. When students approached the university's academic office, they received similar responses.

The office either directed students to resolve the issue with individual professors or cited the policy that "the allocation of scores throughout the semester depends on the professor's teaching style," effectively sidelining students' academic performance.

Tightened Surveillance and Dress Codes in Dormitories

In Yazd Province, a student reported increased pressure and surveillance in female dormitories, including installing surveillance cameras.

She described restrictions on wearing shorts or makeup and said, “I’m not a local student; I came to Yazd from another city. I expected no mandatory dress code enforcement in an all-female dormitory. However, since the new academic year began, the dormitory supervisor has forbidden wearing shorts and makeup. Last week, two new cameras were installed in the main corridor. We don’t know who monitors them or why they’re there.”

Students in two dormitories have received unofficial warnings that failure to "observe Islamic morals” would result in reports to the university and potential academic repercussions, particularly for those with thesis requirements.

Ali Karami, Secretary of the Islamic Association of Sharif University of Technology, also reported the addition of facial recognition cameras in some university areas, including the entrance of the women’s dormitory.

According to Karami, these cameras were added to "monitor mandatory hijab compliance" and track "students’ entry and exit times."

Academic Incentives for Marriage and Pregnancy

In further interference with students’ personal lives, professors at several universities now offer academic benefits to students who marry or become pregnant during the semester, implementing the Population Growth policy endorsed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

These incentives include "exemptions from class attendance," "up to ten additional points on midterms," "full scores in practical courses," and even "leniency in dissertation and defense stages," primarily for masters and doctoral students.

A student told IranWire, "These professors, who often teach courses critical to students' academic trajectories, sometimes offer up to half the exam points as a 'wedding gift' to those who marry. Additionally, pregnant students are excused from classes and even practical exams, receiving full marks."

Professors reportedly require a marriage certificate or proof of pregnancy to grant these privileges.

A concerning trend is the differential treatment of married or parenting graduate students by some dissertation advisors and defense committee members.

According to information obtained by IranWire, at least five Iranian universities offer special privileges to these students, including "leniency" in the defense process and "support from professors" during the dissertation process.

One student from Islamic Azad University in Hashtgerd, near Tehran, reported that returning students from maternity leave receive assurances of outstanding exam grades upon their return.

Ideology at the Expense of Education

On August 27, in a meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian and his cabinet, Khamenei urged Health Minister Mohammadreza Zafarghandi to pursue the "Population Growth" initiative personally and warned of the “risk of rapid population aging.”

Enacted in 2021 under President Ebrahim Raisi, the Population Growth Law bans the sale and distribution of contraceptives, halts the free provision of these products at health centers, and criminalizes medical recommendations for contraception. The law also bans sterilization for both men and women.

On October 19, a Guardian Council spokesperson confirmed the approval of the new "Chastity and Hijab" bill, heightening concern about the legal framework backing increased repression, particularly within educational institutions. Amid growing tensions and the government’s regional conflict with Israel, the Islamic Republic has further restricted citizens’ freedoms.

These policies have fundamentally altered the role of Iranian universities, transforming them from centers of learning into instruments for promoting the Islamic lifestyle endorsed by the Supreme Leader. The academic futures of students now hang in the balance, caught between government mandates and ideological control.

Source: HRM, Samira Rahi, October 30, 2024

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