Pune: The education department has issued guidelines to self-help groups to reach out to govt schools and make necessary alterations to ill-fitting uniforms of students who are either wearing sizes too large or too small because the clothes have been stitched to standard sizes and not according to individual measurement of children. The Maharashtra Prathmik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP) — which monitors the one school, one uniform scheme, said similar guidelines had been issued to self-help groups (SHG) taken on contract to do the stitching at the start of the school year. The same instructions were reiterated following complaints regarding the uniform sizes.

MPSP also said teachers should exchange uniforms between students depending upon uniform sizes matching children's build. Deputy secretary of the school education department Sameer Sawant told TOI on Wednesday, "We had already instructed SHGs in the guidebook that they will have to be available to make alterations, if needed, after the distribution of uniforms. Now, once again, we have sent out instructions at the local level to all govt officials to follow up and ensure uniforms are fit to use.

" On Wednesday, TOI reported on the Maharashtra education department 's one state, one uniform policy in govt schools. The plan encountered problems with clothes not being stitched according to the measurement of individual children. Education officials gave the stitching contract to SHGs and instructed them to make same size uniform.