The wisdom, or otherwise, of college uniforms.

It’s touching when govt loves citizens so much, it even lays out the clothes they should wear to college – like UP has just done. “Nanny,” you cry, seeing the white shirt, blue trousers, black shoes, or whatever’s struck nanny’s fancy this time. Gratitude brims over when you realise nanny has stopped time. Nothing’s changed between the year when you were three, and stepping into nursery, and now, when you’re 20, and in college. “Go, wear this,” says nanny, “because you know not what’s best for you.” But I’m old enough to vote, you say.

“That doesn’t matter. This does.” You wonder why. Nanny says a uniform blurs the gap between rich and poor. So, nobody feels disadvantaged. Ah, the wealth gap erased. Hear that, Piketty?
But doubts arise. Nanny, if 15 years of school uniform didn’t fill that gap, how will three more years of college uniform? And what about life outside college? Who lives where, drives what, parties where in the evening, holidays where in summer – how do we unsee all of that with the blinkers of uniform? Above all, how do we unsee and unhear, “ Jaanta nahin mera baap kaun hai ?” And nanny, consider, life in uniform is not the same for all. Shirts smell different after a drive in a car, and a long commute in a crowded bus. Some gaps are only erased with outcomes – learning and employment. Everything else is tokenism.

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