Convocation Gowns 'Barbaric Colonial Relics': Ramesh

Stoking a potential controversy, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today called as "barbaric colonial relics" the practice of wearing the traditional coloured robe at convocation ceremonies and publicly removed his own gown at one such event.

"I still have not been able to figure out after 60 years of Independence why we stick to this barbaric colonial relics," Ramesh said while addressing students at the seventh convocation of the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM).

"I believe that these traditions are going on for ages and it is not at all necessary and not proper. With time we have to change and I strongly feel that this convocation dress should be changed," said Ramesh.

"Why do they wear caps, just to throw them in air for photographs," he added.

However, when his attention was drawn towards similar demands raised by two BJP ministers (Kailash Vijaywargiya and Archana Chitnis) in Indore last year during the convocation ceremony of Devi Ahilyabai Vishwa Vidyalaya (DAVV) that instead of gowns, degrees should be conferred in traditional dhoti-kurta, Ramesh said he don't want to involve himself in 'Swadeshi versus Videshi' (Indian versus foreign) debate.

Ramesh also posed a question as to why there cannot be a convocation with everyone sporting a simple dress.

"Why we cannot have a convocation in simple dress instead of coming dressed up as medieval vicars and popes," he asked, as he removed his gown worn over his trademark white kurta.

Ramesh's dramatic action drew a loud applause from the assembled gathering.


I am not agreed with him completely,

1 - this Gown is not Barbaric.

2- Wearing simple cloths is not great idea.

3- Throwing of caps really looks great in pics. now my point is that we need to change, yes we need to change but in a different way.

our Govt has to ask every university to introduce their own unique Convocation dress,
so that it became easy to recognize the university which student belongs to.
Convocation day is one of the great day in every students life, so it's good to see them in a different dress which they wear just once and have a memorable picture for the rest of their life.