Procurement portal shift leaves 3,10,000 BMC students bereft of edu kits

The kits contain 27 essential items such as uniforms, school bags, notebooks, shoes, umbrellas and raincoats

MUMBAI: Over 300,000 BMC school students who returned to classrooms on the first day of the new academic year failed to receive the free educational kits that have become a major attraction of school reopening every year. The kits contain 27 essential items such as uniforms, school bags, notebooks, shoes, umbrellas and raincoats.

Mumbai, India. India. June 15, 2026 - Students are back at Sane Guruji High School in Dadar on the first day of school in Mumbai city, which reopens for the 2026-27 academic year after the two-month summer vacation. Mumbai, India. India. June 15, 2026. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)

According to sources, only around 20% of students received a few of the articles. While approximately 10% got umbrellas, only around 1% received notebooks, and just 2% were given uniforms. Some schools distributed leftover materials from last year to ensure that at least a few students got their supplies.

The delay is on account of the BMC shifting the procurement of school materials from the state’s Mahatender portal to the central government’s Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. Officials and education committee members said the transition had slowed down the process, adding that purchase orders had so far been issued only for notebooks, umbrellas and uniforms.

The Mahatender portal process generally involved two suppliers. During a recent meeting, officials informed education committee members that under the GeM system, the BMC would have to appoint five different companies to supply various items.

Criticising the delay, education committee member Ankit Prabhu said the administration had had enough time to plan the transition. “For four years, the BMC administration continued with the existing system,” he said. “Suddenly, mere weeks before schools reopened, the decision was taken to shift procurement to the GeM portal. It is unfortunate that students of one of the richest municipal corporations in the country are receiving leftover materials because of administrative delays.”

Responding to the criticism, education committee chairperson Rajeshree Shirwadkar said the procurement process was in progress, and all students would receive their materials soon. “We expect to distribute them within the next 15 to 20 days,” she said.

An education department official said the procurement of some items had already begun while the remaining purchases were under process. “Because of the delay, we distributed available leftover stock on the first day,” he said. “We expect to complete the procurement process soon and ensure that every student receives all the required educational materials.”

The BMC introduced its free educational kit scheme in 2007 to promote equality among students, most of whom come from economically weaker families, and reduce financial pressure on parents. Over the years, the scheme has become one of the most important support programmes for students in civic schools.