Students of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) can soon shed their monotonous white and blue uniform and go designer — sporting red, blue and grey chequered shirts and grey trousers or skirts to match with.

To lend a unique identity to its students, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has decided to introduce the new uniform from the ongoing academic session in collaboration with National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, before the association’s golden jubilee celebrations in 2014.

R.K. Sinha, the principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kankerbagh, told The Telegraph: “The new dress has been designed in collaboration with NIFT and is entirely different from the previous one. Besides the chequered shirts, jackets have been introduced for the winter. Shoes with laces would be discarded.” For sports, T-shirts in different colours would be introduced, depending on the age group of the children.

On May 18, a meeting of the KVS board of governors in New Delhi approved the adoption of a new uniform design, which would apply to all schools across the country.

The KVS would give ample time to the guardians to get the uniforms ready. The old uniforms would gradually be phased out over a period of two years. By July 2014, the schools have to switch over to the new uniforms. However, during the two-year transition period, students of classes II to XI would be allowed to wear both the old and the new uniforms. Students of Class XII would be given the option of wearing the existing uniform because they would be passing out at the end of the ongoing academic year.

Principal Sinha said: “It is a good step taken by the KVS because the students and their parents were fed up with the same uniform, especially in view of the changes in uniform introduced in different public schools. Most parents and children have welcomed the move. Of course, underprivileged children will face certain difficulties in arranging the new uniform but the KVS has given two years’ time for the same.” Sinha added that Class I students would have to wear the new uniform from this academic session.

Sunita Roy, the parent of a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bailey Road, said: “I am happy to know that KVS has introduced the new uniform. I used to suggest this to the school authorities and was waiting for this for long. I am all set to get a new uniform ready for my son.”