Thrissur, Kerala: The most deserving sections have been excluded from the free school uniform scheme for the past two years. For the past two years, the most deserving students have been left out of the free school uniform scheme. BPL, SC/ST students and girls studying in LP, UP and Class 8 in government high schools have not yet received the allowance. However, APL category boys in government high schools and all students in aided schools have already received the amount. 

The uniform allowance for BPL, SC-ST categories, and girls is allocated from the central fund under the Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) scheme. The SSK fund has been completely stalled for the year 2024-25 due to the PM Shri branding crisis. Although it was announced that ₹328 crore would be allocated in four instalments in 2023-24, only two instalments were received. The Education Department explained that the distribution of the uniform allowance was stalled due to the arrears in central funds.

The state government provides a uniform allowance to APL category boys studying in Classes 1 to 8 in government high schools and to all aided school students. The state government also directly supplies handloom uniforms to all children in independent government LP and UP schools and to students in aided LP schools.

Although the state has allocated ₹79.01 crore for uniforms for the next academic year, the actual beneficiaries of the free uniform scheme are not included in this allocation, pushing headmasters and PTAs into crisis. Many schools are ensuring free uniforms for these left-out categories by taking loans or using personal funds. Headmasters are under pressure, as they have not been able to repay the loans even after two years. In addition, parents, particularly from low-income backgrounds, are struggling to find money to buy uniforms for their children.

About ₹20 crore remains to be paid to the schools as arrears. The SSK fund comprises a 60 percent central share and a 40 percent state share. Even if the central fund is disrupted, if the state government releases its 40 percent share, the allowance for free uniforms could still be provided to the eligible groups. However, the Education Department maintains that there are no state funds available because the central funds have not been released.