The Benefits of School Uniforms in India

Most schools have insisted on school uniforms in India and there are several different types of uniforms that can be seen through the extent of the country. Generally, schools in the northern part of the country have separate summer, winter and sports uniforms, whereas most schools in the south have just one main uniform. In a country like India where the economic divide is much larger than that in western countries, school uniforms are considered to be essential. Many academics argue that the benefits of school uniforms far outweigh the cons and some of the main uses of schools uniforms in India are listed below: Uniformity The main argument for schools uniforms is the concept of uniformity. As previously mentioned the economic divide in India is vast and in most schools people from different walks of life can be seen. School uniforms are the medium through which children are united and a sense of oneness is achieved. Students are not conscious about what others are wearing and minority students who might not be able to afford expensive clothes are not neglected. Such a situation is prevalent in many western schools and eliminating this aspect is one of the main benefits of having a standardized uniform. Students, especially teenagers tend to judge a person by the brand of clothes they are wearing and school uniforms in India serve to remove this type of mind-set. Uniforms also instill a sense of school spirit and lack of discrimination leads to solidarity and camaraderie between people from different religions, caste, culture and creed. This is an important function that is served by schools uniforms. Lapoint, 1993 says that schools uniforms reduce the divide between those have and those who do not have. Reduces Tardiness As most schools require students to wear school uniforms in India, students do not have to spend a lot of time in front of a mirror trying to decide what to wear. Students can arrive on time to school and precious minutes in the morning are saved. Believe it or not, many students skip breakfast if they are late and dressing up is one of the primary reasons for being late! Elimination of Gang Clothing Gang clothing is growing at an alarming rate and schools uniforms in India eliminate the possibility for students to be able to wear such clothes or even express themselves in that way. Kids in school uniforms are much less likely to go for fights or resort to vandalism or theft in public. A school uniform also keeps students safe outside school. More often than not, Indian police are accustomed to identifying children thanks to their school uniforms. Reduced Expenses Schools uniforms that are provided by the schools tend to reduce the expenses for the parents and this is essential in most public schools and also in a few private schools where children might demand expensive shoes and other such accessories. Schools that insist on canvas shoes eliminate the prospect of students haggling with parents for expensive and flashy shoes and other allied accessories. Many schools in India have banned jewelry altogether, except basic earrings for girls. School uniforms in India are essential, especially in the smaller cities and towns of the country. They fulfill many important functions and they allow parents to get some breathing space. School uniforms in India promote a sense of togetherness, which is essential to promote racial harmony and communal harmony in the society.