NO T-SHIRT, JEANS OR SLIPPERS: NEW DRESS CODE FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES IN INDIA’S MAHARASHTRA

Fri 11 December 2020:

Jeans and t-shirt may mean stress-free wear for some, but they are no longer suitable “office attire” for government employees in Maharashtra.

The government may do a policy “flip-flop” once in a while, but the employees are not allowed to wear the humble slippers to the office as per the new dress code.

Also, all government employees must wear khadi clothes at least on Fridays to encourage the use of handspun clothes, a circular issued on December 8 stated.

“It has been observed that several officials/staff (mainly contractual staff and advisers engaged for government work) do not wear attire suitable for government employees. Hence, the image of government staff gets sullied among people,” it said.

People expect “good behaviour and personality” from all government officials and employees, it reminded.

“….if the attire of officials and employees is unsuitable and unclean, it also has an indirect impact on their work,” the circular said.

The attire should be “proper and clean”, it said.

Women employees can wear sarees, salwars/chudidars, kurtas, trouser pants and shirts along with dupattas, if necessary, it said.

For men, there is less choice: they can wear shirts and “pants or trouser pants”.

“Clothes with deep colours and strange embroidery patterns or pictures should not be worn. Besides, employees and staff should not wear jeans and t-shirts in offices,” the circular ordained.

Women employees should wear chappals, sandals or shoes while men should wear shoes or sandals, it was stated.