Two months into new academic year, BMC school students have no uniforms

Two months into the new academic year, students at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run Mumbai Public Schools (MPS) are still waiting for their uniforms. Many children, especially those who are new admissions had no uniforms to wear for The Independence Day programs too on Monday.

The BMC Education Department has launched new uniforms for MPS students from this year. However, even as details such as design, material, colour among all are ready; the tendering process has delayed distribution of uniforms. Many schools had to get innovative on Independence Day celebrations, asking students having no uniforms to wear white, with tricolour dupatta or jacket in order to fit-in for the Independence Day celebration.

“There were so many programs line-up for the 75 years of celebration for Independence Day. We were hoping that all children in one uniform would take us all back to pre-pandemic celebration days. But that was not possible, in absence of uniforms,” shared principal of a school from Dahisar. Adding to this, a school teacher from Ghatkopar spoke, “Students who have been studying in MPS from before have their old uniforms. However, under the mission admission; MPS have over 1lakh new students who do not even have those old uniforms.” While for Independence Day celebrations, the schools asked these children to wear a certain colour of clothes. But on a daily basis, these children are seen wearing their regular clothes to school.

Pointing to the procedural delay, BMC Education Officer (Primary), Rajesh Kankal, said, “By this month-end; students should start receiving at least one set of new uniforms. The work order has been issued already.”

In the new uniform, pants for boys and frocks or ‘salwars’ for girls will be darker in the shade of red. Whereas the shirt will be of cream colour having printed lines of the darker shade. There will be no tie in the new uniform. Before this, the uniform was of blue colour-theme along with a tie.