Maharashtra Ends ‘One State, One Uniform’ Policy; Schools to Decide Designs from 2025-26 | Representational Image
Mumbai: In response to widespread opposition, the Maharashtra government has officially rescinded the ‘One State, One Uniform’ policy, restoring the authority of School Management Committees (SMCs) to determine uniform designs and colours from the 2025-26 academic year onwards.
The policy introduced in May 2023, sought to standardise uniforms across all government schools in the state. However, its implementation was fraught with difficulties, including significant delays in uniform distribution. When the scheme was fully enforced in the 2024-25 academic year, inefficiencies in the supply chain left approximately 3.2 million students without their second set of uniforms.
In December 2024, following extensive criticism, the state government made amendments to the policy. The revised framework transferred responsibility for stitching and distributing uniforms from central authorities to individual SMCs. However, schools were still required to adhere to the standardised uniform design and colour prescribed under the original policy.
Under the latest decision, SMCs will now have complete autonomy in selecting uniform colours and designs, in addition to overseeing the procurement and distribution process. Announcing the change on Thursday, the Maharashtra government stated:
“The colour and design of the uniform under the Samagra Shiksha initiative and the State Government’s Free Uniform Scheme shall be determined by the respective School Management Committees. Schools that offer the Scout and Guide programme should standardise the colour scheme of one uniform at the school level and purchase the second uniform according to the colour scheme specified by the Scout and Guide organisation. The authority for this has been granted to the School Management Committees,” read the government resolution.
The decision has been met with widespread approval from educational stakeholders. Vijay Kombe, President of the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers’ Committee, welcomed the move, stating, “Granting School Management Committees the authority to decide uniform colours and oversee procurement is a step in the right direction. This reinstates a system that schools were already familiar with, ensuring smoother operations.”
Mahendra Ganpule, former President of the Maharashtra School Principals’ Association, also endorsed the decision. “Allowing schools to determine uniforms based on their specific needs will resolve the logistical issues caused by the centralised process. This is a positive move that will benefit students and school administrations alike,” he said.
The revocation of the policy marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to school uniform regulation, addressing concerns raised by educators and parents while restoring local decision-making authority.
