School students in Jharkhand will now get a free hair cut, courtesy the Jharkhand government.
"I have asked principals of all government schools to appoint part-time barbers who will visit schools to trim and give a nice crop to the children," HRD minister Bandhu Tirkey said.
However, it was not mandatory for the students to get the hair cut.
Noting that parents from below poverty line families can hardly afford to give their children a hair cut at regular intervals, the minister said the government's decision would now spare them of that burden.
"Besides, a neat hair cut is hygienic," he said.
Asked how much the barbers would be paid, Tirkey said the amount has not yet been fixed "but it could be around Rs 1000 per month".
There are over 40,000 government schools in the state and the government has to draw out a plan as to how they could implement the scheme, said a government school teacher.