Rajasthan changes RSS-like school uniform to blue-grey

The Rajasthan government has decided to change the colour of uniform in government schools, four years after it was first changed by the then BJP government in the state.

The present uniform, light brown shirt and brown trousers/shorts will be replaced by surf blue and dark grey, read an order issued by the State School Education Department recently.

The order, dated December 8, 2021, by the Rajasthan education department, reads: “The dark grey coats and sweaters would be mandatory for winters. Whereas the surf blue and dark grey will be the new uniform colour, to be worn by students from the next academic session of 2022-23.”

The Congress, which is in power now, had then criticised BJP Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s decision as an attempt at saffronisation because the khaki uniform resembled the dress of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

On Thursday (December 9), the school education department stated that it is not mandatory to buy the new uniform this academic year, but it will be compulsory from the next academic session (2022-23).

The BJP has criticised the Ashok Gehlot-led government for adding to the expenses of parents at a time when COVID has already broken their backs. For records, each student (class 1 to 8) gets Rs 600 from the government for buying a uniform. Students above class 8 need to pay on their own.  About 66 lakh children are enrolled in government schools in Rajasthan between classes 1 and 8.  A government official said tenders will be floated for buying the uniforms soon.

BJP MLA and former education minister Vasudev Devnani criticised the Gehlot government and asked the reason for changing the uniform in just four years. “No student or parent had demanded a change in uniform then why was it changed?” he asked.

Devnani justified his government’s decision to change the uniform in 2017. “We changed the uniform then because we thought of giving a fresh look to schools and students after 20 years. What was there the need to change in just four years?” he said.

The new uniform (blue and grey) is the same which existed from 1997 to 2017, before the BJP government changed it.

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Rajasthan Education Minister B D Kalla told the Indian Express that there is no politics behind the government move. “The minister before me introduced the plan. I simply approved it. It is the BJP who did politics over the uniform,” Kalla added.

The present government is also considering to change the colour of bicycles from saffron to blue or pink.

Ramesh Thanvi, an educationist and social worker, told Outlook: “The colour of uniform should not be politicised. The frequent change of uniform will not only create a psychological impact on children but also is a burden on parents. The idea of the school uniform was to create uniformity and harmony but the frequent change of colours will not help.”