New codes for dress, hairstyle in schools

The 11 new rules stipulate that students must arrive at the school by 9.15 am. They must not wear low-hip pants, and that the school will allow only loose-fitting half shirts. The shirts must be long enough to ensure that it does not come out when tucked in. Also, belts with black buckles will only be permitted in the school.

Similarly, nails should have been trimmed properly. No hair style other than ‘police cut’ will be allowed and boys must ensure that their moustaches do not extend up to the upper lip. Stringent action will be taken against those sporting ‘twirling moustaches’, according to the new set of rules.

The new rules also list restrictions on the accessories that will be allowed to wear. Rubber bands on wrists, studs, chains or ear rings are strictly banned in the school. Students can go on leave only with the permission of the teachers and the signature of their parents. Motorcycles, mobiles and smart phones are proscribed in the school and if seized, they will not be returned to students, the rules said and added that students must come in school uniform even on their birthdays.

Pointing out that after the government banned corporal punishment in schools it had become difficult for the teachers to maintain discipline and control on the students, Vellore Gandhinagar girls HSS vocational teacher SN Janardhanan said, “the new rules will help teachers maintain control on students.” “The move is aimed at ensuring that students learn obedience” said a Tiruvannamalai government HSS headmaster seeking anonymity.

Vellore education department officials said, “The aim of the government is to ensure discipline and thereby improve academic performance. The rules are specially needed in Vellore district, which has more than 4000 schools, yet ranked last in the State in 2018-19.”

Another official said, “Government has instructed school heads to issue Transfer Certificates to students who refuse to obey the new rules. This is not new, as we are only following what matriculation schools have been doing till date.”

“While some schools in Vellore have put up the new rules on flex boards at the entrance, others explain them during the morning assembly,” a local school head said.

“There has been no opposition to the rules till date,” an official said.