No broader consultation was held and no approval from chief minister Yogi Adityanath was sought before announcing the proposal to introduce uniforms in universities and degree colleges, Uttar Pradesh higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyaya said while defending the move on Friday.
The minister said Uttar Pradesh would become the first state in the country to introduce such a system in higher educational institutions and expressed confidence that other states would eventually follow suit.
“Ideally leaders don’t believe in following trends; they are trendsetters,” he said, arguing that uniforms should not remain limited to school students alone.
Asked whether the chief minister had been informed before the announcement, Upadhyaya said, “As of now we have not discussed it with the chief minister. He will be informed in due course once it takes some shape.”
He said uniforms would first be introduced in government, aided and self-financed degree colleges before being gradually extended to state universities. Clarifying that the proposal goes beyond a general dress code, the minister said there would be a fixed colour uniform, though a final decision is yet to be taken.
According to the minister, the idea emerged after Governor Anandiben Patel suggested introducing uniforms during a review meeting of Jananayak Chandrashekhar University in Ballia earlier this week. “It was a great idea. I asked my department to take it forward and the next day an announcement was made,” he said, adding that no formal study had been conducted on the issue.
Upadhyaya said uniforms would help reduce visible social and economic differences among students and create a more equal academic environment.
Some aided colleges affiliated with Lucknow University, including Navyug Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Mahila PG College and National PG College, already have uniforms. A few government degree colleges also follow the practice.
The proposal, however, has drawn criticism from sections of the academic community. Lucknow University Associated College Teachers Association president Manoj Pandey said introducing uniforms in universities and colleges was “not a great idea”.
Prof Govind Pandey, head of journalism and mass communication at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, questioned the move and said it could trigger fresh controversies over the choice of colours and impose an additional burden on students.
