Haryana education dept bars school teachers from wearing jeans to work

Top Haryana education department officials defended the order barring women teachers from wearing jeans, saying teachers were regarded as role models for students and should be dressed appropriately.

In a rather bizarre order issued by the Haryana education department last week, elementary and middle school teachers have been asked not to wear jeans to work or while visiting the directorate in Chandigarh.

Top Haryana education department officials defended the order barring women teachers from wearing jeans, saying teachers were regarded as role models for students and should be dressed appropriately. (HT Illustration/Jayanto)

While the four-line order said wearing jeans to work was not appropriate and the teachers should wear formal clothes, it did not attribute any particular reason for it.

However, top education department officials defended the order, saying teachers were regarded as role models for students and should be dressed appropriately.

“Teachers ask students to maintain discipline, including wearing school uniforms. They themselves should wear formal attire to set an example,” said an education official.

Officials said Haryana chief secretary too had issued instructions regarding dress code for government officials some time back, asking them to wear only formal clothes to work.

In 2012, the women and child development department had also issued similar instructions, albeit for women employees, to wear decent clothes while on the field.

The department order, which asked women employees to desist from wearing jeans and T-shirts to work and instead opt for salwar-kameez or saree, drew flak from various quarters. The order was later withdrawn.