The Bombay Booksellers’ and Publisher’s Association had also written to Maharashtra state education department expressing concern over the issue, last month.
The Deputy Education Officer of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recently come up with a circular warning schools to not allow their premises to be used by any commercial entities like book sellers, uniform vendors.
The circular issued to all primary schools — both private and aided —comes in the backdrop of several complaints made by parents about schools making it mandatory to buy stationery and other school material from the school, often providing space to a designated vendor in its own premises. The Bombay Booksellers’ and Publisher’s Association had also written to Maharashtra state education department expressing concern over the issue, last month.
The circular issued on Friday states, “all the aided and unaided schools that fall under the BMC’s jurisdiction are being informed that the government has come up with a regulation in 2004 and 2005 prohibiting schools from making it compulsory to buy uniforms from the schools or a particular vendor designated by the school. Schools should thus note that no such compulsion is made to students to buy books, stationery and other school essentials from a particular place”.
The circular has asked schools to follow norms set by the previous government regulations, failure to which ‘due action can be initiated against the school as per the law’.
Meanwhile, parents of New Horizon Public School in Panvel registered a written complaint at the Khanda colony police station alleging that the school was making it compulsory to buy books from a designated vendor. A parent from the school said that despite several complaints, the school was making it compulsory to buy books from its own vendor. School officials did not respond to calls.
Board rules
In March, the Bombay Booksellers’ and Publishers’ Association had written to schools in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region requesting them to refrain from selling textbooks, uniforms and other such items on their premises.
The CBSE has also issued a circular warning schools against selling books and other educational material in its premise. The Board has also asked schools to use only NCERT books.
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