NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday renewed its appeal to universities to consider the use of handloom fabrics for the ceremonial attire at their annual convocations, saying it would promote handloom and instil a sense of pride in being Indian.

In a letter to university vice-chancellors, the higher education regulator also sought an action taken report along with photographs and videos to be uploaded on its university activity monitoring portal.

The commission first asked universities to switch to handloom in 2015, saying apparel made from handloom fabrics would be more comfortable in India’s climate.

“Taking the UGC’s suggestion, many universities have already switched to handloom fabrics for ceremonial attire during their annual convocation. However, it is noted that some universities have still not changed their ceremonial dress code during the convocation,” the commission said.

The UGC continued: “The use of handloom fabrics would not only instill a sense of pride in being Indian but also promote the handloom industry in the country, which provides employment opportunities to many people living in rural areas.”

Several universities including Delhi University (DU)and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), have started the use of handloom fabric in their convocation attire. While DU has replaced gowns and caps with angavastras (stoles), JNU has switched to white kurta pyjamas and sarees.