Maharashtra Scraps ‘One State, One Uniform’ Policy After Implementation Chaos; Schools Regain Control Over Uniform Design

Mumbai, 3rd April 2025: The Maharashtra School Education Department has officially withdrawn the controversial ‘One State, One Uniform’ policy following widespread confusion and criticism. From the upcoming academic year, school uniforms will once again be decided by the respective School Management Committees (SMCs), allowing them to determine the color and design of uniforms at the local level. This move is expected to resolve the chaos surrounding uniform distribution across the state.

The policy was initially introduced under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) when Deepak Kesarkar served as the School Education Minister. It mandated a uniform design across all schools, replacing the earlier system where schools procured uniforms independently. However, the implementation led to several issues, including delays in distribution, ill-fitting uniforms, and complaints about poor-quality fabric. The policy faced severe backlash from parents, educators, and opposition parties.

In December, the government announced that from the 2025-26 academic year, uniform procurement would be handled by the School Management Committees. Now, in addition to managing procurement, schools will also have the authority to decide the color and pattern of uniforms at the local level. The funds allocated under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the state government’s free uniform scheme will be directly transferred to the committees. Additionally, schools will have the right to purchase a second set of uniforms following the guidelines set by the Scouts and Guides organization.

This decision marks another rollback of policies implemented during Kesarkar’s tenure. Apart from scrapping the uniform policy, the government has also reversed several other controversial decisions, including blank pages in textbooks, changes in the mid-day meal scheme to a “three-course meal,” color-coded identity cards for vegetarian and non-vegetarian students, mandatory classroom photos of teachers, and new homework guidelines.

By reinstating the previous system, the education department aims to bring clarity and efficiency to school uniform distribution while allowing greater autonomy to individual schools.