South Delhi civic body disallows religious attire in schools

New Delhi, February 25

The Education Committee of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has asked its education department officials to ensure that no student comes to its schools in "religious attire".

SDMC's Education Committee Chairperson Nitika Sharma has written a letter in this connection to the Director Education (SDMC).

In the letter, Sharma asked the education director to instruct all zonal officials to not allow students in SDMC primary schools in "religious attires" and ensure that schoolchildren come to their respective institutions in prescribed dress code only.

The SDMC's move comes days after a parent in Tukhmirpur area of northeast Delhi alleged that her daughter was asked by the teacher at the government school to remove her headscarf.

Sharma said attending classes wearing religious attire will instil a sense of "inequality" among students.

"I have asked the director education in SDMC to direct zonal official to ensure that students do not come to schools in religious attire as it creates differences and inequality among students," Sharma told PTI.

"There is a proper dress code decided for SDMC schools and students should follow that. Every year we provide school uniforms to students for free so they should wear that only instead of religious attire while coming to schools," Sharma said.

She, however, added that students can wear "religious attire" or other fancy dresses during festivals or fancy dress competitions in schools.

The SDMC runs primary schools up to class 5. Around 2.5 lakh students study in about 568 SDMC primary schools.

n the letter, Sharma wrote, "Lately it has been seen that some parents are sending their wards to school in religious attire which is not right. This may develop the mentality of inequality among students, which is not good at all for their future." "Keeping in view all these factors, all zonal officials should be directed to ensure that students can wear dress other than their uniforms only during school competitions and festivals. On normal days students should be present in school in their school uniforms," the letter said.

It added that "school uniforms have been prescribed for students in which they look beautiful".

The SDMC, when required, keeps changing the colour of uniforms due to which there is no inferiority complex among rich and poor kids, the letter stated. PTI

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