The Punjab Education Department on Tuesday withdrew its notification prescribing dress code for woman teachers in the state a day after it was issued.
The department also suspended two officials — Deputy Director Amrish Shukla and Assistant Director Amarbir Singh.
Minister of State for Education Aruna Chaudhary said the notification, issued "without taking higher authorities into confidence", used denigrating language and any affront to the dignity of the “nation-building teaching community” would not be tolerated, a press statement issued by the department said on Tuesday.
The notification — issued to circle education officers and district education officers of the state — said that “jeans, tops, bhadkeela pehrawa (bright clothes) and fashionable dresses” worn by female teachers in government schools excited students and had a bad influence on them.
It directed district officials to conduct regular inspections at schools to ensure no women teachers wore such clothes.
The notification read: “We are receiving complaints that teachers in government schools, especially female teachers, are delivering their duties while sporting bhadkeela pehrawa. Some lady teachers wear jeans, tops and other many more exciting fashionable dresses during their duty hours. This affects students”.
