Educationists and academic experts across the world questioned the trend of school uniforms. According to them, such policies, while aiming for uniformity, might inadvertently suppress student creativity and self-identity, vital for holistic educational development. Turning the back towards the arguments made by educationists, the Maharashtra government came with the idea of the ‘one state, one uniform’ policy and eventually messed up making mockery of the helpless students. Furious parents requested to change the uniforms, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
The ‘one state, one uniform’ policy aims to standardise uniforms for students in classes 1 to 8 across all government schools in Maharashtra starting from the 2024-25 academic year. Historically, state government schools had identical uniforms two decades ago, but this practice was later discontinued, allowing schools to choose their own uniforms. In rural areas, clusters of schools have maintained similar uniforms. Under the new policy, the government will provide one set of uniforms to be worn on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The education department of the state swung into action and took some hasty decisions. Hurriedly the state ordered that the second set, the ‘Scout and Guide’ uniforms, be worn on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, which has to be arranged by local School Management Committees (SMCs). However, SMCs have refused this responsibility, citing the inadequate Rs 110 per uniform policy set by the state.
In spite of this the distribution of uniforms was delayed by nearly four months since schools resumed for this academic year. But the script to the story was added at this juncture. Centrally-distributed school uniforms by the state government continue to be riddled with more issues like inferior quality, frays, incorrect fits and even parts of the attire missing in some cases. Due to this pathetic state of affairs, the ambitious plan of “one state one uniform” which has been marred with controversies since the beginning has run into more troubles, after the distribution of these uniforms two sets per student. Various issues with the new uniforms came to fore, teachers from government-run schools have complained of having to deal with angry parents, as they demand a return to the old practice of making and distributing uniforms at the school level.
The uniforms which were distributed to the students were of inferior quality. Many of them were torn. Incorrect fits and even parts of the attire missing in some cases. The fabric which was used for the uniforms was of low quality. The government had virtually made a mockery of the poor students.
Many students were reluctant to wear these new uniforms as people started making fun of them. Some students stopped coming to the schools.
This issue was raised also in the legislature but on the floor of the house the who cares attitude of the state government was seen.
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