Uniform mandatory in many Vadodara schools

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Monday, July 14, 2008

Students were free to wear dresses of their liking in schools once a week but that is going to change soon. Many schools in Vadodara have scrapped the practice of 'uniform off day' and more are planning to follow suit.Students coming to schools in fashionable and flashy outfits on such days was turning out to a major headache for authorities. To prevent nuisance, many schools have now implemented compulsory dress code for students. Radhika Nair, managing director of Urmi School at Karelibag, says, "Earlier we used to give Wednesday an off day from uniform but the loud and indecent dresses of students forced us to make uniform mandatory for all days.""To stop girls wearing shorts, sleeveless and tight clothes, we asked them to wear salwar suits on uniform-free days. But as suits have also been robbed of their decency and taken trendy forms, we finally stopped that practice too and made uniform compulsory on all days."Principal of Bright School too feels that uniform should be made mandatory. He said, "We are gradually putting an end to uniform off days. After higher secondary and secondary section, now we are going to make uniform mandatory for primary section, too. 'Free dress' was creating a sense of inequality among students and also causing distractions from studies."University experimental school at Sayajigunj is going to stop weekly 'uniform off' soon. Madhuri Barot, an administrator of the school, finds uniform a must to maintain uniformity among students. She said, "We are going to make uniform compulsory for all days to maintain equality on school campus. Parents are also supporting mandatory uniform system as a child's demand for costly and trendy dresses like their peers becomes difficult to fulfil."Smita Patel, a resident of Fatehgunj, says school is a temple of learning and the sanctity of it should be maintained. Uniform creates equality among all students.

Some hail the decision, others decry

Most say uniform should not be imposed on students, while a few second the move

The decision of many Vadodara schools to make uniform mandatory has evoked a mixed response among students and parents. Vrinda Patel, a Class 10 student of Bright School, Karelibag said, "I don't think uniform compulsion will make any changes. Students should have freedom to wear dresses of their choice once a week. I like wearing trendy clothes, footwears and accessories on off days but now school's rule will force us to wear uniform. Uniform should not be imposed on us."Vipul Shah, father of a Class 8 girl student, feels making uniform compulsory won't help much. He says, "My daughter Aditi loves wearing fashionable dresses. I don't find anything wrong in that. Students should get the freedom to wear dress of their liking once a week. Discipline can't come with uniform alone. Everybody likes change and wearing trendy clothes is part of today's lifestyle."Mansi Ahuja, a mother of two kids, says, "Today, children are becoming fashion conscious. They love copying dressing style of their favourite actors and actresses. I don't find anything wrong if children wear trendy clothes in school once a week. My kids love fashionable outfits. Schools should not have made uniform mandatory for all just because a few dress inappropriately. They should take action if a child is not dressed properly but doing away with 'uniform off day' is not acceptable."Khushi Sharma, a Class 9 student, says compulsion of uniform is wrong. She said, "Schools puts so many restrictions on us and by making uniform mandatory, they are killing the little freedom we had. How one dresses is a private affair. If my parents don't have any issue with my dressing then school does not have any right to make us wear uniform on all days."Rishita Vyas, a Class 11 student, asks, "If there is no uniform in colleges, why should we have uniform in schools? Taking uniform off day back is not a wise decision. Everybody likes change. Getting an off from uniform once a week is a welcome change."There are a few who feel uniform rule will go a long way in solving a plethora of problems. Piyush Mehta, father of a Class 6 girl student, says, "My daughter Richa demands costly outfits, like her classmates, as she wants to look stylish. She demands different dresses on all uniform off days. It's not possible for me to afford expensive clothes frequently. I appreciate the decision of mandatory uniform in schools as it will ensure oneness and equality among students." Richa says, "My school mates wear variety of dresses on all 'uniform off' days and I have to wear repeated dresses. If uniform is made mandatory for all days, I will not have to think what to wear on uniform off day."Tanmay Patel, a Class 5 student, says, "We are free to wear whatever we want after school hours. In school, I think, uniform is a must and it puts everybody on an equal footing." A parent of a high school girl points out uniform gives an identity to a student. It helps to inculcate discipline in children, which is lacking in today's youth.