Lucknow, May 22 -- With less than a year to go for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the Yogi Adityanath government has announced plans to introducing a mandatory dress code for nearly 4.9 million students enrolled in universities and degree colleges across the state. A day after governor Anandiben Patel called for uniforms in all universities and colleges, higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay said adherence to a dress code will be made mandatory across institutions in the state. He said that a uniform dress code would be implemented wherever feasible to promote equality and discipline among students. However, the government has not clarified whether institutions will be required to prescribe a formal uniform or merely enforce guidelines on appropriate attire. Upadhyay said students constitute a homogeneous community in which social hierarchies and discrimination should not be visible. According to him, differences in clothing often reflect economic and social disparities, creating feelings of inferiority among some students and superiority among others. "The implementation of a dress code will effectively curb these situations, enabling all students to pursue their studies in an equitable environment," he said. "Following the implementation of this new system, a superior academic culture characterised by uniformity will evolve within universities and colleges, providing a strong foundation for achieving the vision of a 'Developed Uttar Pradesh' and a 'Developed India'," he said. The proposal has drawn mixed reactions from academics and students. Former Lucknow University vice-chancellor Roop Rekha Verma questioned the government's priorities, saying universities face more pressing challenges. "Universities should focus on vacant teaching posts, regular classes, declining student enrolment, improving research quality and providing better facilities rather than introducing uniforms," she said. Nishi Pandey, former head of Lucknow University's English department, said universities should prioritise intellectual freedom while enforcing discipline in other ways. "Universities and colleges are centres of higher education where students go to seek knowledge. They should be given that freedom. Uniform is fine in schools but not after Class 12. Discipline should focus on issues such as attending classes on time," she said....