Schools can’t force parents to buy books from them: Haryana govt

GURGAON: In a fresh directive issued by the directorate of secondary education, the government has debarred all recognised private schools in the state from asking parents to purchase books, uniforms, and stationery from them or sellers authorised by them.
In the Friday order, the directorate also told district education officials to tighten vigilance and take strict action against any school found to be violating the norms.
“It has been found that in spite of issuing repeated clarifications that the Haryana Education Rules that were amended in 2021 categorically prohibit schools from interfering with the free will of the parents in purchasing books, uniforms, or any study materials, certain schools are not complying with the directives. To bring clarity over the issue, we have issued orders that debar schools from indulging in such practices. Those found violating the rules will face action,” said a senior education department official.
The latest order comes in the backdrop of another tussle between parents and a section of private schools.
Schools and parents are at loggerheads over the purchase of textbooks and other academic-related materials. While schools claimed that they are acting only as facilitators, parents alleged that schools are coercing parents to buy books from sellers and publishers authorised by them.
“Many schools have made it mandatory for students to purchase everything, from books and uniforms, from them. Besides, a large number of schools are prescribing books other than NCERT. These books are costlier and unnecessary,” said All India Parents Association (AIPA) national secretary Kailash Sharma.
Schools, however, contested these claims. “These are false allegations leveled by some people. Schools are well within their rights to facilitate such errands for the parents. There’s no compulsion,” said Colonel’s Central Academy chairman Col Kr Pratap Singh (retd).
On the allegations that schools are forcing parents to buy books other than those from NCERT, they said that they challenged the government’s 2021 notification, and a hearing is pending in the case.