Hyderabad: It is not just government buildings that receive a new coat of colours reflecting the “party in power”; in Andhra Pradesh, the hues of public school uniforms also change each time power shifts hands. The Chandrababu Naidu administration has now unveiled a new uniform for students of state-run schools—cream and olive green.
This is starkly different from the lavender-purple and blue shade uniforms for girls and boys, respectively, approved during the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
When the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief assumed office as Andhra Pradesh chief minister in 2019, the uniform colours were blue and white, which he altered with effect from the 2020-21 academic year.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary and minister for human resource development Lokesh posted on X Wednesday pictures of a girl and boy student in their new uniform, to be adopted from the next academic year (from June), stating that students “will wear new uniforms with no party colours, no leader’s picture, and no government branding.”
Students in #AndhraPradesh will wear new uniforms with no party colours, no leader’s picture and no government branding. Our focus is on quality education and a brighter future for every child! pic.twitter.com/bDWheVDnUI
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) March 12, 2025
Lokesh’s reference to “leader’s picture and government branding” is an apparent allusion to the Jagan-Anna Vidya Kanuka school kits supplied during the YSRCP tenure, which allegedly featured the then CM’s photos on some of the items.
YSRCP leaders objected to Lokesh’s remarks, arguing that there is no connection between the school uniforms in purple, universally accepted blue—and the YSRCP flag colours of blue, white, and green.
“Every government exercises its discretion to effect some beneficial changes, be it in any subject or sector. Lokesh’s perceptions may differ, and I cannot help that, but we never used school uniforms for political or publicity purposes,” Botcha Satyanarayana, a senior YSRCP leader and AP’s education minister from 2022 to 2024, told ThePrint.
“The TDP-led government and Lokesh, instead of improving the education sector, are regressing—doing away with the CBSE curriculum, English-medium education, and other initiatives Jagan introduced in government schools. Instead of implementing useful reforms, which we always welcome, the Naidu regime is wasting resources by introducing new-coloured uniforms,” Botsa added, while refuting insinuations that Jagan’s photos were put on school bags and other items.
Teachers’ associations are decrying the alteration every five years, arguing that political rivalries should not affect the education system, particularly in matters such as uniforms.
“The word ‘uniform’ itself means constant and consistent. But oddly, governments—be it YSRCP five years ago or the TDP now—are making these unnecessary changes. This unsavoury and unnecessary trend should stop. It confuses both the children and the public,” Pakalapati Raghu Varma, an independent MLC in AP, representing the Vizianagaram-Visakhapatnam-Srikakulam Teachers’ constituency, told ThePrint.
Asked what the uniform colour was in 2014 when united AP was bifurcated, a government high school teacher at Narasaraopeta was unable to recollect readily. “I hope at least from now on, the school uniform colour will remain the same,” the teacher said sheepishly.
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Renaming schemes to drop Jagan’s name
The Jagan-Anna Vidya Kanuka school kits supplied free of charge by the previous government included three pairs of uniforms, a pair of shoes, a bag, a belt, and a dictionary. For instance, in June 2023, the Jagan government distributed these kits to around 40 lakh government school students from Classes 1 to 10, besides those studying in government-aided schools, with officials stating that it cost around Rs 1,042 crore.
From the upcoming school year, the Jagan-Anna Vidya Kanuka scheme has been renamed the Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra scheme, which AP finance minister Payyavula Keshav, in his budget speech, said “reduces financial burden on families by providing free books, uniforms, and essential supplies to 35.69 lakh students, ensuring equal access to education.”
Similarly, Jagananna Gorumudda, launched by the previous chief minister by upgrading the school mid-day meal menu, is now called Dokka Seethamma Madhyana Badi Bhojanam, aimed at “enhancing students’ health and focus on learning by offering nutritious meals.”
Soon after assuming power in June, the TDP-led NDA government in AP issued orders removing Jagan’s name from several government schemes, many of them in the education sector.
Accordingly, the Jagananna Vidya Deevena scheme was renamed the Post Matric Scholarship (Refundable Tuition Fee), and Jagananna Vasathi Deevena became the Post Matric Scholarships (Maintenance Fee).
Jagananna Videshi Vidya Deevena (for SCs) was rebranded as the Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi, while YSR Vidyonnathi was renamed NTR Vidyonnathi.
Another incentive, Jagananna Civil Services Protsahakam, was simply renamed Incentives for Civil Services Examination.
The Naidu government had also instructed the immediate removal of any hint of blue, white and green colours indicative of the YSRCP from all official websites.
In another shift, in September, Lokesh decided to allow 77,000 Class 10 students to switch to SSC board assessment this year from CBSE mid-year, stating that Jagan’s unilateral CBSE curriculum shift had turned out to be a bane for thousands of students in state-run schools, which were ill-equipped to handle central board exams. Jagan then slammed the TDP-led government’s move as “regressive, reflecting their anti-poor mindset.”
While criticising the TDP command’s school uniform colour change decision, former minister Botcha questioned the TDP’s principles, stating that they were “painting the Anna canteens and other government buildings in yellow”—a colour identified with Naidu’s party—“after having vehemently opposed the application of colours close to YSRCP on panchayat buildings during the YSRCP tenure”.
Five years ago, the Jagan government was taken to court after it painted the gram panchayat and village secretariat buildings in the colours of the YSRCP flag, which it was subsequently ordered to remove. The Andhra Pradesh High Court had last year admitted a petition filed by Chandra Sekhar Reddy, former president of the Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers’ Association, questioning the yellow paint, with a stripe of red, on government-run canteens serving subsidised meals to the poor.
Yellow, along with some red, is a prominent feature of the TDP flag.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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