After two years, students in government schools across Karnataka may finally get their second set of uniforms. They had received the first set of uniforms for the 2020-21 academic year from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) only in January this year.
While one set is provided by the DPI , the other is provided by the Samagra Sikshana Abhiyan (SSA).
The SSA had recently issued a circular directing School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMC) to purchase material, stitch the uniforms, and distribute them to students from Classes VI to X as schools have started functioning for the full day. The SDMCs have been given the responsibility of choosing the colour of the uniform.
The second set of uniforms were not distributed during the previous two academic years (2019-20 and 2020-21) because of paucity of funds and then the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, the State Cabinet decided to procure uniforms for all school students and transferred the estimated cost to the SDMCs. But later, officials of the DPI issued directions to stop procurement as schools were suspended because of the pandemic.
The SSA has said that only students of Classes VI to X will get the uniforms. Schools have been told that they can procure uniforms for students of Classes I to V only after physical classes resume for them.
The cost of each set of uniforms is pegged at ₹250 per student. It will be borne by the State and Union Governments.
