No jeans, DJ shows: How Bihar seeks to restore dignity of government schools

No jeans and T-shirts for teachers during working hours. No DJ systems, disco performances or orchestra shows on school premises. Bihar's education department has renewed its push to enforce discipline and professional standards in government schools, issuing a fresh directive after a series of controversies over dance performances and entertainment programmes held at school campuses.The October 30 order, addressed to all district education officers, seeks to restore what the department describes as the dignity of educational institutions and the teaching profession.Issued by director (administration) Vijay Kumar Pandey, the directive makes formal attire mandatory for teaching and non-teaching staff during teaching and office hours. It specifically flags the practice of employees attending schools in casual clothing, including jeans and T-shirts, despite earlier instructions. The department has also expressed concern over DJ performances, disco programmes and what it describes as “low-standard entertainment” being organised within school premises, saying such activities adversely affect the academic environment.The order draws a distinction between entertainment and legitimate cultural activities. It does not prohibit dance and music altogether. Only disciplined and dignified performances, organised on special occasions specified in the academic calendar, will be permitted. DJ systems, disco programmes and other forms of entertainment considered unsuitable for an educational institution are not allowed. District education officers have been directed to ensure compliance. In an unusual comparison, the letter invokes the Supreme Court and the Patna High Court, where formal dress is mandatory in contempt proceedings to uphold the “Majesty of Law”. It argues that educational institutions, too, must maintain a comparable standard of dignity and decorum.The directive comes against the backdrop of several incidents in which government school premises have become venues for dance and orchestra performances, triggering public criticism and departmental action.In September, a video from Sitamarhi purportedly showed women dancers performing on a stage during a Ganesh Puja event. The footage went viral, raising questions about the use of school premises for such programmes. The education department sought an explanation from the in-charge headmaster while officials initiated an inquiry into the circumstances under which the event was organised.In Madhubani's Kaluahi block, an orchestra performance during Krishnashtami triggered another controversy. A video appeared to show a dancer holding what looked like a pistol, later reported to be a toy lighter, and a cigarette while performing to Bhojpuri songs. The district education authorities responded by directing that no unauthorised events be held on school premises without prior approval.In Rohtas, 14 students of Classes IX and X were filmed dancing to a Bhojpuri song containing caste-related lyrics inside a smart classroom. The students were expelled and an inquiry was ordered. Similar videos from Gaya and Saharsa in earlier months had shown orchestra or bar-style dance performances on school grounds, reportedly linked to wedding processions or local events.The controversies have exposed a recurring problem: the use of government school buildings and grounds for activities that have little connection with their educational purpose. In several rural areas, school premises are sometimes used for community and religious functions because villages have few alternative public venues. But the line between a permitted community gathering and an entertainment event that compromises the character of an educational institution has increasingly become a matter of dispute.The October 30 directive is not the first attempt by the department to address these concerns. Similar instructions have been issued in the past, but the latest letter acknowledges that compliance has remained inconsistent. Its renewed emphasis on formal attire and restrictions on campus entertainment suggests that the department believes earlier directions have not been enough to change practices on the ground.Education minister Mithlesh Tiwary has defended the need for discipline, saying teachers are role models and that their behaviour, conduct and attire matter because students observe and emulate them. The department's position is that schools must maintain an environment in which learning and the dignity of the teaching profession take precedence over activities that turn campuses into venues for commercial-style entertainment.The order also raises a larger question about what constitutes discipline in government schools. Critics may argue that restrictions on clothing and entertainment do little to address more pressing concerns, such as teacher absenteeism, infrastructure deficits and poor learning outcomes. Supporters, however, contend that the standards expected of teachers and the activities permitted on school premises are not trivial matters. A school is a public institution entrusted with educating children, and the conduct of those who work there inevitably shapes its culture.The department has left room for cultural expression, but wants it confined to approved occasions and conducted within prescribed limits. The responsibility for enforcing the rules now rests with district education officers and school heads. Whether they can prevent unauthorised programmes, particularly when school premises are sought for community events, will determine whether the latest directive has any lasting effect.For now, the message from Patna is unmistakable: no jeans and T-shirts for school staff during working hours, no DJ and disco shows on campus, and no entertainment programme that compromises the dignity of an educational institution. The challenge is to ensure that this does not become another circular that is widely circulated but unevenly enforced.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- Ends