The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has been instructed to revert to the previous dress code regulations for civil servants, following public complaints about the grooming standards of government employees.
Speaking to residents of Hulhumale' Phase I, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said several people had raised concerns about a decline in the appearance and professionalism of staff working in government offices.
The President said the earlier Civil Service regulations set a “very good standard” for employee attire, but those standards have since changed.
“I have been asked to restore the civil service as it was before. Change the rules back to how they were, gazette them, and begin implementing them,” he said.
He added that the dress standards outlined in the previous rules for civil servants during official hours were better than those currently in place.
The Civil Service dress code was last formally revised on December 25, 2010, when amendments were made to publicly define the attire expected of civil servants. The rules, which came into force on January 1, 2011, divided the dress code into three sections: attire for women, attire for men, and items prohibited during official hours.
https://t.co/Cru4D4Tqwn
— The President's Office (@presidencymv) December 21, 2025
Under those rules, “office dress” had to be made from fabric appropriate for a professional environment. Clothing such as T‑shirts, thin materials that reveal the body, cartoon prints, drawings, or inappropriate text were not permitted.
For women, the regulations required that the neckline of any clothing “cover the neck in a manner that does not violate social norms.”  
For men, the rules allowed long‑sleeve or short‑sleeve shirts, with trousers required to be full‑length and not shorter than the top of the ankle.
The President said the CSC is now working to bring back those standards.