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Chandigarh education dept forms panel to review rulebook on sale of school books, uniforms
The committee also been tasked with suggesting action to be taken against private schools that force parents to buy books and uniforms from specific vendors
In a move to curb blatant profiteering by private schools, the UT education department has formed a committee to review the existing guidelines on sale of school books and uniforms.
The committee has also been tasked with suggesting action to be taken against private schools that force parents to buy books and uniforms from specific vendors.
Every parent has the right to information regarding books and uniforms for the upcoming academic session so they can be arranged as per their convenience, said the order issued by the UT school education director on Tuesday.
The existing guidelines give the parents the freedom to buy these items from any store. Further, schools have to mandatorily display a class-wise list of books and school uniform on their website before the beginning of the new session for the information of the parents.
The committee has been constituted to review these guidelines, keeping with current times and challenges.
“An education institution’s objective is to impart education to build the future of the country and not profiteering,” said Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar, director, school education, UT, adding that complaints were received every year by both parents and students regarding harassment faced in this regard and 2023-2024 was no exception.
The panel comprises several education department officials, including deputy director 1, deputy director 3, district education officer, law officer, and principals of Government Model Senior Secondary Schools in Sector 21 and Sector 35. The committee will submit its report by October 31. Brar said the new guidelines will be in place by December end.
Parents have for long accused private schools and some prominent book sellers in Sectors 19 and 22 of having an unofficial collusion for listing books outside those prescribed by the NCERT, which are only available at a particular bookshop.
While complaints are made to the department, they allege the perpetrators, whether schools or bookstores, get away with just a slap on the wrist.
The UT excise and taxation department also conducts inspections to check the malpractice and had issued 10 show-cause notices last year. But the severity of the disciplinary action taken remains unclear.
As per officials, there are around five active complaints against book sellers.
Meanwhile, president of the Chandigarh Parents’ Association, Nitin Goyal said, “In 2018, the education department had issued an order mandating the use of NCERT books in all schools. The Punjab and Haryana high court had upheld this order, but it is rarely implemented. There is no need to form committees, all they need to do is enforce the existing orders.”
