When Uniforms Divide: The Need for Inclusive Dress Codes in Schools

The Problem: When Uniforms Become a Battleground

Uniforms are meant to create equality. But sometimes, they do the opposite. Across India, schools have found themselves in controversy, from an Ahmedabad school banning leggings as “inappropriate attire” to a Kochi student denied entry for wearing a hijab, even as the Kerala government had to step in to restore her right.

For many parents, these are not distant headlines. They raise uncomfortable questions: Who decides what’s “acceptable” for children to wear? When does discipline cross into discrimination?

The Reality: Rules Without Rights

Most school uniform policies are drafted internally and shared as a one-page circular, rarely with parent consultation. Yet, the Right to Education Act (RTE) clearly prohibits any form of discrimination that affects a child’s participation in school. Many state Departments of Education, including Kerala and Gujarat, also require schools to publish their dress code guidelines and provide a grievance redressal mechanism for disputes.

In practice, few parents know these rights exist. When a rule feels unfair, the usual response is quiet compliance, not because parents agree, but because they fear their child may be singled out.

What Parents Should Know

Uniforms can’t override a student’s comfort, faith, or dignity. Here’s what every parent should keep in mind:

1. Ask for the written policy. Schools must publish uniform norms and clarify who approved them (management, PTA, or DoE).

2. Know your child’s rights. The RTE Act upholds a child’s right to education without discrimination on religion, gender, or appearance.

3. Use grievance paths. Each school should have a complaint register or online form under its recognition rules. You can also approach the District Education Officer or the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

4. Document incidents. Written complaints, not WhatsApp chats, trigger accountability.

The SchoolDoor Point of View

A uniform should unite, not silence. It should allow students to express identity within shared boundaries, not erase individuality in the name of order. Inclusivity isn’t the enemy of discipline; it’s what makes discipline fair.

When parents, teachers, and administrators co-create the rules, uniforms become what they were meant to be: symbols of belonging, not tools of exclusion.

The Path Forward

Before the next academic year begins, ask your school to host a parent-teacher meeting to review its uniform policy. Request that it be shared publicly, with rationale and flexibility built in.

Uniforms should make children equal, not uncomfortable. Transparency is the first stitch in that fabric.