5.5 million children in Rajasthan did not receive school uniforms, and the minister retaliated when the Congress surrounded him.

News Topical, Digital Desk : On one hand, the Rajasthan government is banning books mid-session without caring about crores of rupees, changing the syllabus and removing chapters on great men, while on the other hand, the same government is facing financial constraints in providing free school uniforms to children.

Nearly half the school year has passed, but nearly 5.5 million schoolchildren in the state still haven't received their uniforms. Many are either coming to school without uniforms or wearing the same short uniforms from last year. Congress has criticized the government over this, while Cabinet Minister Zoraram Kumawat has retaliated.

Following criticism over budgetary constraints, officials are now preparing to remove the names of general and OBC students from the list and provide uniforms only to SC/ST students. Politics has now erupted over the caste-based discrimination being provided to students. While the opposition is attacking the government over this, government ministers are issuing ultimatums to the opposition. 

The free uniform scheme was started during the Gehlot government.

The former Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan launched a scheme to provide two free uniforms a year to all children studying in government schools from grades 1 to 8. Later, this scheme was extended to girls from grades 9 to 12. Under this scheme, children were provided with uniform material and additional sewing fees. Children could comfortably attend school in two uniforms throughout the year.

Will General and OBC children be excluded from the free uniform scheme?

The current session is almost half over, yet no child has received a uniform, nor the money to buy or stitch it. Internal rumors suggest that the government is preoccupied with the enormous budget required for uniforms. Preparations are underway to exclude children from the General and OBC categories from the free uniform scheme, and to provide uniform money only to SC/ST students. However, there is no definitive information yet on when SC/ST students will receive their uniforms.

Congress targeted the government

The Congress party has criticized the government for failing to provide free uniforms to children. Senior Congress leader and former cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said the scheme was launched during his party's tenure, and the current government is trying to shelve it. He expressed displeasure over the attempts to tamper with children's uniforms and discriminate on the basis of caste, calling the government shameless. 

Rajasthan minister hits back at Congress

Meanwhile, Rajasthan cabinet minister Zoraram Kumawat criticized the Congress party. He said, "Those who live in glass houses don't throw stones at others. Congress should remain silent and not speak out about this." 

The number of children attending school has decreased in the last 5 years.

Politics is a factor in this matter, but the biggest concern is that in Rajasthan, where the number of children attending government schools has declined by nearly 2 million in the last five years, the discontinuation or reduction of the free uniform scheme could further erode children's interest in government schools. Rajasthan education expert Naveen Sharma says that without uniforms, the number of children attending could decline even more rapidly. The government needs to reconsider its decision.

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