State to provide only one uniform per student this year

Mumbai: Students of government-run schools in the state will have to make do with just one uniform provided by the state for this academic year. The situation has arisen due to the delay in finalising the process of distribution of single-colour uniforms across the state in the government’s pursuance of its ‘One State One Uniform’ policy.

The Maharashtra Primary Education Council (MPEC) on Monday ordered all municipal corporations and chief executive officers of zilla parishads to make sure that the school management committees (SMC) provided only one uniform to the students, the design of which would be decided by them. Usually, students are provided with two sets of uniforms.

Currently, free uniforms are provided by the state for reserved category students and all girl students in government and aided schools. For this, schools are given a fund of ₹600 for two uniforms per student, and the uniforms are distributed to the schools through the SMC at the school level. However, as the letter issued on Monday by Kailash Pagare, director MPEC, says, “This year, instead of providing funds for two uniforms, only ₹300 for a single uniform will be given to the SMCs.” The letter mentions that the government will inform them about the second set of uniforms in due course.

Beginning with the new academic year, the state had plans to dress over 64.28 lakh students from Classes 1 to 8 in the same uniform. Following problems due to the late decision and petitions from uniform manufacturers, it was decided that students in government schools would get two different uniforms for this year, one from the state, which would be the same in all schools, and the other to be decided by the SMCs.

However, the recent letter from the MPEC director saying that students would get only one uniform has students, parents, and teachers confounded. “How can students be using a single uniform every day?” they asked. “When will they wash it, and how will hygiene be maintained?” An irate parent from Shahpur said, “We are confused about whether or not we will receive a uniform from the school for our child. We request the government to back out of the ‘One State, One Uniform’ policy for this year at least.”