UGC prescribes dress code

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has prescribing a dress code for students and faculty in varsities and asked the vice-chancellors to ensure that only handloom fabric is used for ceremonial dresses worn on special occasions like convocation.

Issuing a directive in this regard on July 15, the higher education regulator cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for working towards welfare of weavers.

“The prime minister has emphasised on revival of handloom and improving earnings of the handloom weavers. Handloom fabric not only forms an integral part of our rich culture and heritage but also provides livelihood opportunity to lakhs of people living in the rural areas. Using ceremonial robes made of handloom fabrics would not only give a sense of pride of being Indian but also be more comfortable in the hot and humid weather. Greater usage of handloom garments for apparel would promote the handloom industry in the country,” it said.

This comes ahead of the Modi government’s plan to roll out “India Handloom” brand on August 7, the day Swadeshi Movement was launched on 1905. The objective behind rolling out of “India Handloom” brand is to promote handloom products in international market.   

In another directive to the universities, the UGC has asked the vice-chancellors to introduce special chapters in universities’ curricula to sensitise students about weapons of mass destruction and disarmament.

The National Authority, Chemicals Weapons Convention (NACWC), which functions under the Cabinet Secretariat, has decided that Education and Awareness should be a thrust area to create mass awareness for chemical disarmament, it said.

The most important target is the youth studying in schools and colleges. The coverage of topics on such important and vital issues such as weapons of mass destruction, disarmament and peaceful uses of chemistry  are “grossly inadequate” in curricula at University level, the UGC noted, referring to the recommendation of NACWC.

“The young students who are well conversant and profound with scientific principals and advanced technological applications are largely ignorant of important international conventions like chemical weapons convention (CWC), which have a bearing on the welfare of the entire humankind. You are requested to kindly take necessary measures for inclusion of vital issues such as weapons of mass destruction, disarmament, peaceful uses of chemistry in the university curricula,” UGC secretary Jaspal S Sandhu said in his letter to vice-chancellors.

The UGC also asked the vice chancellors to sensitise the departments of mass communication and journalism with the recommendation of second administrative reforms commission on combating terrorism.