Odisha: Government Launches Initiative To Provide Free School Uniforms For Students In Grades 9 And 10

The Odisha government will provide free uniforms to students of classes 9 and 10 in state-run and aided schools under the ‘Mukhymantri Chhatra Chatri Paridhan Yojana’. Earlier, students of up to class 8 were entitled to free uniforms, an official said.

The students will get two pairs of uniforms, one pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a T-shirt, a track pant and a cap under the scheme. The dresses will be distributed from July 15, the official added.

However, there has been a slight change in the dress code. While boys will now wear checkered white shirt and hunter green pants, girls will wear white salwar, green jacket and kurta. The new uniforms will have the logo ‘Ame Gadhibu Nua Odisha’ (We Will Build New Odisha). All students will wear T-shirt and track pants with a cap on Saturdays, he said, adding that both the school and mass education and Mission Shakti departments have issued letters in this regard.

The Directorate of Secondary Education has issued guidelines for procurement and distribution of uniforms. Funds for the dresses, worth Rs 1,000 per set, will be provided from the state plan, the official said, adding that black shoes and white socks will be made compulsory for students.