Mumbai: Urdu schools say big ‘no’ to govt uniforms

Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar meeting Urdu school representatives

Over 800 Urdu medium schools across Maharashtra have rejected and returned uniforms provided under the state government's ‘One State, One Uniform' scheme, citing cultural inappropriateness. These schools are demanding full frocks or frock/salwar kameez and dupattas for girls, as well as full shirts and pants for boys. The current uniforms, consisting of half-pants for boys and frocks for girls, have been deemed "unsuitable", "inappropriate" by the schools.

‘Cultural requirements'

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Sajid Nisar, founder and General Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Urdu Shikshak Sangh, said, "The government introduced the ‘One State, One Uniform' policy on June 8, 2023, to provide free uniforms to 44,60,004 students. However, over 20 lakh students are yet to receive their uniforms. The uniforms provided consisted of half shirts and half pants for boys, while girls were only given frocks. For students in our Urdu medium schools, from standards I to VIII, we demand full shirts and pants for boys, and frocks or kameez with salwar, and a dupatta for girls. On September 19, we met with School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar to submit our demands, but no response has been received so far."

The new uniform introduced by the government; (left) the uniform currently worn by Urdu school students

"Parents are dissatisfied with the inappropriate attire. We don't oppose the policy's standard colour, but we want uniforms that meet our cultural requirements," said Samina Mukhtar, a parent, and teacher from an Urdu school in Mira-Bhayander. Niyaz Shaikh, a teacher in Kurla, added, "These protests highlight broader concerns about the lack of attention to the needs of Urdu medium students."

Poor quality uniforms

Delays and poor quality have also drawn sharp political criticism. While identical uniforms were once the norm two decades ago, the policy was discontinued, allowing schools to choose their designs through SMCs. Under the new plan, uniform production was entrusted to a self-help group registered under the Maharashtra Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVM), but the group has faced criticism for alleged shortcomings. Vijay Kombey, the state president of the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Committee, revealed that nearly 75 per cent of schools in Vidarbha have yet to receive uniforms.

Cost a problem too

"How can they ensure the quality of uniforms with such a meagre budget? It's challenging to provide a set of uniforms for just Rs 100. Previously, the government allocated Rs 300 per uniform, which included the cost of fabric. Now, however, the government supplies the fabric, and the sewing is done by the self-help groups," said Sajid Nisar.

What's causing the delay?

Schools in many areas have struggled to identify self-help groups capable of tailoring uniforms for the low price. In some districts, even where uniforms have been distributed, issues such as low-quality fabric or mismatched sizes have been reported. Some uniforms are even delivered in the same size, leaving teachers and parents questioning their usability. The head of a self-help group under MAVM stated that uniform delivery has been delayed due to a lack of materials.

Political fallout

Opposition parties have seized upon the issue, accusing the ruling government of incompetence. The situation worsened when it was revealed that many of the distributed uniforms were of poor quality. NCP MLA Rohit Pawar said, "You can ridicule me, but don't mock these poor students. If you do, destiny will mock you, and your government will be as unstable as these uniforms," Pawar said.

Opposition leader Ambadas Danve criticised the government for failing to meet the August 15, 2024, deadline, noting that only 24 lakh of the 45 lakh students slated to receive uniforms had done so by the end of September. "And even those uniforms are substandard! This government has crossed all limits of corruption, even at the expense of schoolchildren," Danve said.

Accusations of corruption

Opposition leaders have accused the government of corruption in the procurement process, "This is a scam, and the public will soon demand accountability," Pawar said. The school education department has yet to issue statement on the controversy, and Kesarkar has been unavailable for comment, despite repeated attempts to reach him.