Story behind wearing robes at convocation

Hello everyone, I am happy to reach you all again with new post on my blog. I hope you all are doing great. I would like to share my achievements with you. As mentioned in my earlier posts that I am pursuing MBA in FBS Business School, Vijayawada. Except that I didn't shared any of my personal information with you. Before joining in MBA I completed my Undergraduate (B.com-Hons) in KLUniversity, vaddeswaram. Recently I attended to graduation ceremony i.e., Convocation conducted by KLEF on 23-03-2018. I proudly say that I was awarded "Hon'ble President's Silver Medal" for my academic achievement in Bachelor of Commerce (Hons). 

It's a proud moment when I received the Medal and certificate on the stage along with my mother in front of thousands of people.

It's very cool when we are in the academic dress i.e., Robes, Caps. Most of the people have a question in their minds 🤔, why people will wear that gown during graduation day? At one point of time I too had the same doubt/question. Today I am going to reveal the story behind wearing of Gowns during graduation day.

Academic regalia came to implementation when universities started forming in the12th and 13th centuries. When the universities are initially formed they don't have official building's of their own to gather classes, so lectures are held in nearby churches. During 12th and 13th centuries, most of the scholars are priests, monks or clerics and their students are also studying the same to do something similar.

Cap and Gown:

During 12th century there is no incinerators in the universities, so scholars are compelled to try and keep warmth during the ceremonies. Graduates are started wearing long gowns with hoods to keep them warmth, but later those are made as the official outfit of academics. 

While in the medieval times the gowns are of different types and colours based on the qualification and specialization. But later on the universities made different coloured gowns based on their wish. But the robes will differ from degree to degree i.e., from Bachelor's to Masters to doctoral's.

As in the above picture the robes are changed based on degree. For bachelors gowns have long pointed sleeves, Masters gowns have longer narrower closed sleeves that often reached below the knees and doctors gowns have full bell shaped sleeves with three bars of velvet. The hoods also varies from degree to degree, for Bachelors there will be no Hood at all, for Masters there will be 3 and half feet hood and for PhDs or doctorates there will be 4 feet hood. 

The cap's are usually called as mortarboard. The mortarboard take its name from the flat board used by bricklayers to lay mortar. Therefore, some of them believe the reason the cap is square because it represents the mortarboard of the master workmen. Regardless the uncertainty of origin, the style has remained as usual accepted and popular in most of the educational institutions. Academic regalia include distinctive headwear.The mortarboard are worn by all degrees, some PhDs and doctor programs use soft velvet tams instead of mortarboard. 

Tossing the Cap:

The throwing of the graduation cap in the air is a historical convention that was started by naval academy in the year 1912. Earlier to the graduation in the year 1912, the graduates of the academy were required to assist for two years in the convoy as midshipmen before assigning as navy officers, so they need their caps. The class of 1912 was assigned from the time of graduation and they are getting their officers caps, so they don't required. Leaving the graduates free to toss the caps into the air and not getting them back.

The tossing of the cap tradition was taken by the universities throughout the world. Now the action is regarded as the symbolic gesture for the end of the graduation's life.

Turning the Tassel:

When degrees are awarded students customarily change the tassel from right to left symbolizes the  individual's movement from candidate to graduate. This custom is practiced in educational institutions throughout the world. 

When you attend to a high school graduation ceremony in future these tips will help you to follow the tradition that are in place. Congratulations to all the graduates on their accomplishment.