Acting on complaints of parents that the schools are forcing them to buy stationery, books and uniforms from select shops or counters opened in the schools the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has circulated an advisory to all the schools affiliated under it not to indulge in such commercial activities. The affiliation of schools found involved in such activities can be cancelled.
In a letter directed to education directors of all the states, Commissioner Kendriya Vidhyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and others, the Deputy Secretary Affiliation, K Srinivasan has said that the board has time and again have issued advisories to all its affiliated schools not to indulge in commercial activities by way of selling of text books, note books, stationary items, uniforms etc and to adhere to the provisions of 'Affiliation Bye-laws' of the Board.
However, it has been brought to the notice of the Board through various complaints received from parents and other stakeholders that still schools are indulging in commercial activities within the school premises or through selected vendors, the letter says.
The deputy secretary reminds that rule 19.1 (ii) of CBSE Affiliation Bye-laws mandates that the society/Trust/Company registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 shall ensure that the school is run as a community service and not as a business and that commercialization does not take place in the school in any shape whatsoever.
The CBSE has also said that all the schools are required to follow directions regarding use of NCERT textbooks. It has taken note of the reports and complaints regarding the pressure exercised by schools on children and their parents to buy textbooks other than NCERT. In his letter, the CBSE has drawn attention of the schools that the educational institutions are not commercial establishments and their sole purpose is to provide quality education therefore the schools are directed to desist from the unhealthy practice of coercing parents to buy text books, note books, stationary, uniforms, shoes, school bags etc from within the premise or from selected vendors only.