Flouting the guidelines of the Central Board of Secondary School Examination (CBSE) and Indian Certificate School Examination (ICSE) a majority of private schools in Ranchi are leaving parents at the mercy of few shop-owners forcing them to buy books
and school uniforms from select outlets only.
The parents have to forcibly buy books and uniforms from the outlets as they are not available anywhere else in the market. And, they pay the prices that are decided by the shop owners.
Ironically, Jharkhand Educational Tribunal (JET) including the district administration claim that it is impossible to control the nexus of schools and shops as so far they have not received a single complaint from any association or parent regarding this.
“Somebody has to come and file a written complain regarding the arbitrariness of private schools in the tribunal. Since its establishment, we have not received a single complain regarding this. If a parent gives in writing, the tribunal will sternly take action on a particular school,” said JET Chairperson, Mukhtiar Singh.
The tribunal formed to regulate fees and check activities of private schools cannot take cognizance on its own until it receives a detailed application from parents or guardians side with all evidences, the JET Chairperson, further added.
Similarly, a committee formed by Ranchi DC Manoj Kumar recently is only to regulate and keep a check on private schools fees hike. “Sale of books and uniforms by private schools is not under our jurisdiction. We can only regulate the school fees hike charged annually by the private schools. However, we are planning to add this clause in fees regulation structure act that is being drafted to maintain uniformity. The meeting regarding this will be conducted on March 31. The guidelines of CBSE too regarding sale of books and uniform is not clear,” said, Ranchi DC, Manoj Kumar.
However, a CBSE circular mentions that the schools cannot get engaged in any commercial activity or sell books, uniforms on the campus and neither should they direct parents to go to a particular shop. All schools must display a list of prescribed books and uniform on the school website but this too is also not being followed by the school managements.
“After sending letters to the private school management to upload the book lists on school website or display it on notice board, none of the schools so far have done this after repeated reminders also,” said Jharkhand Parents Association, Head, Ajay Rai.
Private schools are of the opinion that in order to maintain uniformity in school uniforms, they ask parents to visit particular shop and parents are not liable to follow this. “Beside NCERT books, few reference materials are also required. However, we do not force parents to go to any specific shop,” said, Vice- Principal, Oxford Public School, AK Singh.