bengaluru rajiv gandhi university of health sciences rguhs the umbrella varsity for all healthrelated courses in the state has instructed medical students not to wear their white aprons outside the campusthe circular issued by rguhs though is an advisory and wont result in any punishment if not adhered to the vicechancellor of the university has clarifiedin a circular to all colleges rguhs said students of affiliated colleges of rguhs and junior doctors and students of medical dental nursing ayush pharmacy physiotherapy and allied health science courses are wearing aprons outside their college and hospital premises and while travelling on public transportit not only looks odd but belittles the importance of the attire and wearing the same apron in public places and also at work is unhygienic the circular dated march 8 said patients link apron with doctors respect it vc the circular stated hence you are hereby directed to issue clear instructions to all students of your college to strictly avoid wearing aprons in public places and while travelling on public transportrguhs has around 33 lakh students studying in its affiliated colleges apron holds a certain dignity patients associate it with a doctor and respect it imagine them seeing a doctor at a restaurant pub or on the train with the coat it spoils the honour associated with the apron as students we never wore it outside but now i see students roaming around brigade road and church street in it said mk ramesh the vicechancellorthe circular was received with mixed response from students with many pointing out that their peers especially those in the first year do use their aprons to flaunt their achievement of earning a seat at a medical collegefor many students it wearing the apron outside college is a matter of comfort there might be no space in the bag to push the coat in students might also go for some urgent shopping before heading to their hostels and may not bother taking the apron off at the same time weve noticed a lot of students wearing it show off too we see them in malls and movie theatres that is unnecessary and i agree with the university on this said deepak martin tomy a finalyear mbbs student from mangaluruthe concern is also about contamination the usage of apron started as a means to protect the doctors and later on became a part of their identity in case a student wears it in hospital and then at a public place or vice versa there are chances of transmission of an infection the vc addedsome students however pointed out that security at the college allows them to enter only if they have the apron it is necessary that we carry it wherever we go so we generally dont remove it even when we step out said a student from a private medical college in bengaluru