Dress code mandated for school teachers in Maha; jeans, t-shirts, & more, restricted!

In a first, the Maharashtra Government has issued a dress code for school teachers on March 15. As per the Government Resolution (GR), female teachers can wear salwars/churidars with kurtas and dupattas or a saree, whereas male teachers should wear tucked-in shirts with trousers. Teachers are no longer allowed to wear jeans, t-shirts, dark-coloured clothes, designs or prints. The nine-point GR guideline applies to all schools, whether public, privately run or affiliated to the board.

Currently, every school has its own dress code, whether Western or Indian formals, for teaching and non-teaching staff. While issuing the guidelines on what teachers should wear, the Department has left it to educational institutions to decide on what specific colours can be worn by their staff.

The idea behind the Resolution is to make teachers more cautious of what they wear as school-going children are impressionable and inappropriate clothes can have an adverse impact.

Teachers and educationists, however, have criticised the move while questioning the intent. A school teacher from Mumbai was noted saying that teachers are already conscious of dressing appropriately. Schools, too, are careful in ensuring the same in their own ways. Paraphrased: Therefore, the government didn't have to intervene and impose a dress code for teachers.

Further, a senior official from the department added, “These are guidelines and should not be considered as mandates. There is no decision yet on taking any action in case of non-compliance.”