In a major policy shift, the Congress-led Karnataka government on Wednesday withdrew a 2022 order on dress codes in schools and colleges and introduced a new framework aimed at balancing institutional discipline with the constitutional right to education.
The order passed by the then BJP government had led to massive protests across the state.
Under the new directive issued, the government has replaced the earlier order with a policy that makes uniforms compulsory while permitting students to wear "certain limited traditional and religious symbols".
Permitted symbols
Students will now be allowed to wear headscarves, turbans, janeu, Shivdhara and Rudraksha malas along with the prescribed uniform.
The order clarified that no student can be denied entry into classrooms, institutions or examination halls for wearing such traditional symbols. However, these items cannot replace the uniform or alter its purpose. The government also stated that such symbols must not obstruct identification or compromise security and discipline within educational institutions.
New order on dress code
The directive further prohibits forcing any student to wear religious or traditional symbols, while also banning authorities from compelling students to remove them.
In the preamble to the order, the Karnataka government said that although the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, empowers the state to maintain discipline in educational institutions, it also has a responsibility to promote a secular and inclusive environment.
The government stressed that secularism, from a constitutional perspective, does not mean opposition to private beliefs, but rather institutional neutrality and non-discriminatory conduct.
The order stated that institutions should follow the inclusive principle taught by Basavanna, "Ivanammava" meaning "he is one among us". It added that the primary objective of the policy is to ensure that no student is deprived of education.
The directive has come into immediate effect. Any previous institutional circulars or local resolutions that conflict with the new guidelines will now be treated as cancelled and invalid.
The policy will apply to both government and private educational institutions across Karnataka. However, the government clarified that national and state-level dress codes prescribed for specific examinations may continue to remain in force depending on requirements set by the concerned authorities.
The School Education Commissioner and the Director of Pre-University Education have been tasked with ensuring uniform and non-discriminatory implementation of the rules across the state.
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