Odisha Students To Wear Sambalpuri Saree, Kurta-Pajama At Convocation! Here’s Why

Universities in Odisha may now ask their graduating students to be dressed in traditional attires such as Sambalpuri saree and kurta-pajama at convocations, if a government circular is implemented.

A circular issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) recently wants students to dress in traditional attire made up of Indian handlooms when they receive their degrees, according to a report in news portal The Print.

The UGC said that “using handloom garments would give a sense of pride of being Indian”.

The circular was addressed to all private and public universities that are under the UGC. It has also asked for an ‘Action Taken Report’ from the universities on this.

“With changing times, everything changes. Indian universities have been carrying on the British style of wearing a robe during convocations. It’s high time that we change the tradition and make it localised,” the report quoted a senior UGC official as saying.

Wearing the Western convocation outfit — black robe and cap — wasn’t mandatory in Indian universities, but some institutions followed the practice.

A month ago, during the convocation ceremony of National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, in Himachal Pradesh, students had worn traditional outfits.

IITs in Roorkee, Bombay and Kanpur had last year switched to traditional Indian attire — saree for women and kurta–pajama for men. Even when Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) held its convocation earlier this year, after a gap of several years, students were seen dressed in saree and kurta.

However, not all universities were following the Indian dress code. But, now after the UGC circular, all varsities will have to adhere to it.