Kendriya Vidyalaya uniforms are all set for a revamp from next academic year. So, will the blue and white dress give way to colourful ones, will tie be introduced and skirts for upper primary girls and full sleeve shirts for boys? Already the proposed change has become a hot topic among students and teachers though the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), is yet to give a directive to 1,087 schools functioning under it.
“Yes very much... we have entrusted the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to design the new outfit,” Uma Shivraman, Assistant Commissioner (Training), KVS, said, adding she was not authorised to divulge further details.
“We are aware that a change in uniforms may take place and eager about it. In my opinion, the white colour should be substituted as it gets dirty easily. The children go to the ground and for the rest of the day, their uniforms look brown in patches,” Soma Abhraham, Vice Principal, KV, Kadavanthra, said, adding she is still in the dark about the ‘clothing revolution’ in the offing.
So what do the children have to say? “I heard that tie is being introduced across all KVs. It’s hot in this part of the country. But I badly want to change the white dress. Especially in the rainy season, the uniforms get dirty very easily. I don’t want to put my mother into more difficulty,” Sree Radha, a class IX KV student, said. Radha, who was earlier studying in KV INS Hamla, Malad, Mumbai, said the schools used to insist on ties and sweaters because the climate was extremely cold. “But now we fear it will be made mandatory across the country.”
Alice Thankam Mathew, another class IX student, is “really happy” with the current blue and white dress, but she wants the red ribbons to be replaced by some “matching colours”. “Somebody was telling me the girls are now supposed to wear skirts till class 12. But I prefer churidars as is the practice now.” Class 10 student Visakh too had heard about the plan to change. “There is talk that an overcoat will be introduced besides making the shirt full sleeved. But I’m more concerned about the white colour which restricts our sports activity.”
“As a whole we are making minor design interventions and not going for any big changes. Regarding colours, we’ll be suggesting three or four suitable ones. What will change is the quality of the fabric as we’ll be using those which are comfortable in both winter and summer," Chandrasekhar Joshi, Project-in Charge, NIFT, told Deccan Chronicle. The official said a survey would be conducted among students, teachers and parents to collect inputs. The KVS has also directed that the designs should be based on national identity and that of the KV as well. They are planning to implement it from next year onwards. However, the change will be gradual. “The three-month project to design the KV uniform is yet to start as our clients haven’t released the funds so far,” he said.
