Kerala government drops gender-neutral initiatives in schools

The new developments came after objections by Muslim outfits against implementing gender-neutral initiatives in educational institutions

While Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed the Assembly that the government will not impose gender-neutral uniforms in schools, the state government also withdrew the suggestion to make gender-neutral seating arrangements in classrooms.

The new developments came soon after objections by Muslim religious outfits and the Indian Union Muslim League against implementing gender-neutral initiatives in educational institutions, specifically gender-neutral uniforms and mixed seating arrangements, to which the Left Front government succumbed.

The chief minister said on Wednesday that the government's efforts would be to develop a progressive society that accepts gender equality. The stress would be to create an atmosphere for that. But the government has no plans to impose gender-neutral uniforms in schools. Schools can decide their uniforms, he said.

The State Council of Education Research and Training, which initiates reforms and evaluations of the state school education sector, had withdrawn the suggestion of implementing mixed seating arrangements at schools from its approach paper on reforms in school education in the state.

Last year a school at Kozhikode in North Kerala introduced gender-neutral uniforms. It received appreciation from various quarters, and some other primary schools also introduced gender-neutral uniforms.