Coal India Limited has rolled out a revised, mandatory uniform policy for its entire workforce of approximately 2.25 lakh employees, covering everyone from floor workers to the Chairmen and Managing Directors of its subsidiaries, effective May 2026.
The policy prescribes fixed colour combinations for all employees. Men are required to wear a grey formal shirt with black formal trousers across all roles and locations.
Women have been given greater flexibility: they may choose between a grey or maroon formal shirt with black trousers, a grey or maroon kurta or kameez with black salwar and dupatta, or a saree in the approved colour palette with a black blouse. All three options adhere to the same grey-maroon-black combination, balancing standardisation with cultural and personal preference.
Every employee is required to purchase at least 3 uniform sets annually. The policy applies uniformly across CIL’s eight wholly-owned subsidiaries, which together operate coal mines across Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
The move completes a year-long implementation journey. The CIL board approved the dress code scheme on May 30, 2025, with the announcement made by Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy on the occasion of Vishwakarma Diwas in September 2025. At the time, the government pegged the estimated financial outlay for the scheme at approximately ₹275 crore, and proposed an advance of ₹12,500 per employee to cover the cost of purchasing uniforms. A washing allowance of ₹185 per month was also under consideration, per sources cited in earlier reports.
“Post Independence, Coal India has decided for the first time to introduce uniforms for workers, officials and CMDs of its PSUs to ensure a culture of discipline and unity,” Reddy had said at the September 2025 announcement.
The policy, framed by a bipartite committee involving management and trade union representatives, had also shortlisted approved brands, including Raymond, Ramraj Cotton, Arvind Limited, and Blackberrys, from which employees would be permitted to purchase their uniforms.
Coal India accounts for over 80% of India’s domestic coal production and is one of the country’s largest public sector employers. The company had targeted coal output of 875 million tonnes for FY26.
