Mumbai: BMC school uniforms to lose their blues; committee of civic officials and designers working on new look for students

The education department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has decided it is time to change the colours of the uniform in BMC-run schools, to shades that will suitably reflect the array of curricula currently offered by civic schools, from CBSE to Cambridge. For this purpose, the corporation has set up a 15-member committee that includes designers, to decide on the new colours and dress code for students. Currently, the uniform is – dark blue pants, light blue shirt and tie for boys and blue shirt and blue pinafore or salwar-kameez for girls.

According to Joint Commissioner Ajit Kumbhar, “We have changed the overall look of BMC-run schools. Now, we have started offering CBSC, ICSE, IB and Cambridge curricula along with SSC in BMC schools. We have also renovated school buildings. In the midst of all this change, we felt the need to change the uniform too. We want to introduce a uniform pattern that will be suitable for CBSC, ICSE and international-level schools.

“We have therefore, set up a 15-member committee to work on the design and colour of the school uniform. Designers will sit along with BMC officials on the committee,” he informed.

Currently, the uniform includes a tie, which, according to BMC officials, is a massive inconvenience for students, as most of them are unaware of how to wear one and so the committee is considering providing suspenders.

Kumbhar elaborated, “We are thinking of cream-coloured pants for boys and cream-coloured pinafores and salwars for girls. We are yet to decide on the colour of the shirts but are certain that these will be checked.”

The BMC provides 27 school supplies to civic school students for free, including uniforms. There are 973 primary schools and 243 secondary schools in the city, where more than three lakh students are enrolled.