Anandiben Patel has directed all state universities and affiliated colleges in Uttar Pradesh to implement compulsory uniforms for students as part of a broader push toward discipline and academic reform in higher education institutions. The decision was issued during a meeting held at Jan Bhavan and will apply to government and aided colleges affiliated with Jananayak Chandrashekhar University in Ballia. State Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna welcomed the move, saying the measures introduced by the governor are aimed at improving discipline and creating a better academic environment for students.
Along with the uniform directive, the governor issued strict instructions to teachers and college administrations, emphasizing punctuality, regular attendance, and professional conduct. She stated that teachers should avoid any actions that damage the dignity of the profession and directed institutions to focus on the holistic development of students. Special emphasis was placed on improving women’s hostels and protecting students from anti-social influences. The governor also encouraged institutions to introduce vocational and skill-based courses for female students, including beautician training, mehendi art, GST training, accountancy, millet-based food production and other employability-oriented programmes.
The meeting also focused heavily on educational reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP), with directions to promote multidisciplinary learning, flexible subject choices and skill development alongside academics. Sampurnanand Sanskrit University was identified as the nodal institution for digitisation and preservation of manuscripts and rare books under the Gyan Bharatam Abhiyan. The governor further instructed colleges to expand the use of INFLIBNET and the One Nation One Subscription scheme to improve access to research materials and international academic content. She also proposed online teaching arrangements where teacher shortages exist and ordered faculty members to publish at least two research papers or book chapters every year to strengthen academic and research culture across universities.
