UP plans mandatory uniform for students in colleges, univs

With less than a year to go for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the Yogi Adityanath government has announced plans to introducing a mandatory dress code for nearly 4.9 million students enrolled in universities and degree colleges across the state.

- Rajeev Mullick

A day after governor Anandiben Patel called for uniforms in all universities and colleges, higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay said adherence to a dress code will be made mandatory across institutions in the state.

He said that a uniform dress code would be implemented wherever feasible to promote equality and discipline among students.

However, the government has not clarified whether institutions will be required to prescribe a formal uniform or merely enforce guidelines on appropriate attire.

Upadhyay said students constitute a homogeneous community in which social hierarchies and discrimination should not be visible. According to him, differences in clothing often reflect economic and social disparities, creating feelings of inferiority among some students and superiority among others.

“The implementation of a dress code will effectively curb these situations, enabling all students to pursue their studies in an equitable environment,” he said.