WHERE WEARING UNIFORMS IS FUN!

Little Flower Degree College is one of the few colleges in India, which insists on uniforms for its students who don’t seem to mind it

Darshani Nene

The minute you enter Little Flower College, you can whiff the difference. It’s because the students here wear uniforms! Gasp! Uni­forms in college? Yes. You’ll have to see it to believe it.Wearing uniforms to college sounds silly. “I don’t think so. I mean yes, we do wish we didn’t have to wear uniforms, but it’s just so much more easier! I don’t have to wake up every morning and sift through my wardrobe to find what to wear. All I do is put on my uniform and run!” says Zoha, a BSc student.
Kundan Singh, a BCom stud­ent adds, “Do you know how much money we save? I know it sounds silly, but there are a lot of students who cannot af­ford to spend money on clothes which is why a uniform is a good idea. We get used to wearing formal attire, which comes in handy when we get a job.”
Uniforms are said to promote unity and a sense of belonging. Apart from inculcating a sense of discipline, they set you apart from the rest. Psychological studies have also stated that wearing uniforms helps keep bullying under check. But more than anything, uniforms bring everyone to the same level.
Recently appointed as the principal of the college, Brother Jaico believes that when you’re in a uniform, you’re the same as anyone else. “It doesn’t matter how rich you are, or where you come from, because in the end, we are all equal. That was the whole idea behind having uniforms at the college level. Moreover, since our college is set inside the school and junior college campus, we could not risk our younger students being influenced by collegians.”
But students don’t need to wear their uniforms all week long either. “Out of six working days, we get to come in casual wear for two days in a week, Wednesday and Saturday, which is good enough!” says Shiva Prasad, a BCom student.So before you start pitying these kids, STOP! If they don’t have a problem with it, then why should you?

Lecturer Speaks

Br Jaico: Principal, Little Flower Degree College

How long have you been teaching at Little Flower?
I’ve been teaching Mathematics for 18 years now. This is my first year in the college as a principal but I also teach Math here.

What is the approach of the students towards the subject?
Well, it depends on their interest and their intellectual level. Some students have a really good base due to great teaching at lower levels, while some students aren’t that strong in their basics. It also depends on their mental capability; some students are fast in grasping concepts while some are comparatively slow.

Has the performance of your students improved in the subject?
Marks-wise, yes! But theoretically, their understanding of the concept isn’t that good as was the case before. The theoretical knowledge my previous students had was more than the present batches. The present batches see subjects with respect to their usefulness. They find the practical useful and don’t pay much attention to the theory. They’re very much interested in the computer application of the subject.

Is there a dearth of good Math teachers?
Yes, there is. We need a lot more good teachers for the subject who must understand the subject themselves before teaching it.

What’s the purpose behind having a uniform in a degree college?
It ensures uniformity. All students from different backgrounds are brought to an equal level when they wear a uniform. They also look dignified and students are quite happy with it. They also get a chance to wear regular clothes, two days a week.

On the eve of exams, how’s the preparation?
We’ve conducted the pre-finals and practical exams and the students are now coming to college to clarify their doubts. Special coaching is being given for IIT, EAMCET, AIEEE and CPT. With these corporate institutes, our college has been facing tough times, but things are definitely going to improve after a while!l Finally, your message to the students.Listen to your heart, but use your mind. Choose a good company of friends, as they have a great influence in your growing years. Make the right decision for yourself and for the society.

Students Speak

Best thing about college
A lot of cultural activities take place. Sports are a rage here too. The best part is that we are encouraged to take up these activities, instead of being asked to study all the time

Fashion trends
Since we have a uniform, there aren’t any fashion trends as such. But when we get the chance, we like sporting funky sneakers or pretty kurtas

Music playing on our iPods
The Kolaveri rage is still on here. Besides that we’re hooked on to songs from Agneepath and Ekk Main Aur Ek Tu

Favourite hangout inside college
The cafeteria! There is nothing like bonding over food

Favourite hangout outside college
There aren’t many places outside college. But we like to spend time at Café Coffee Day and various other
restaurants in the area

The one thing you’d like to change about college
I know you thought we’ll say uniforms. But no! We wish we’d had an open-gate
system. That would have been really nice. Also, we aren’t allowed cell phones in the
college campus, which we wish we could change.

Tags: Agneepath, BCom, Br Jaico, BSc, Ekk Main Aur Ek Tu, featured, full-image, Kolaveri, Little Flower Degree College

Category: City, People Report