Don’t force students to buy books, uniforms from particular shop, J-K admin to private schools

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has directed private recognised schools that they should desist from compelling parents of students to purchase textbooks, stationery and uniforms from any particular shop. It also asked the private schools to not charge any fee other than approved by the fee fixation and regulation committee.

Director, School Education Jammu (DSEJ), Ravi Shankar has issued a circular following complaints against private schools for allegedly asking parents to purchase textbooks, stationery and uniforms from a particular shop here.

"Such practices have been observed to be financially burdening for parents, particularly when purchasing books that are not prescribed by the Board to which the school is affiliated," the circular said.

Such practices also go against the ethical guidelines issued by the government, it said, adding private schools must notify through their websites the list of subjects and prescribed books by the affiliated Board. "Private schools are not allowed to make any subject or book mandatory and cannot ask parents to buy books from a particular book shop," the circular read.

“It is once again enjoined upon all the private recognised schools that they desist from compelling the parents for purchasing books and uniforms from any particular shops and change of books thereof.” It said that further in order to have a wider choice for the parents for purchase of books and uniforms, the same should be made available in the open market.

"Any deviation from these instructions, if noticed, shall be viewed seriously and action will be taken as per the provisions of law which inter-alia includes de-recognition of schools and withdrawal of NOC as well," the circular said.

The DSEJ directed all chief education officers to constitute special monitoring teams headed by deputy chief education officers and zonal education officers to verify complaints regarding the sale of books, uniforms by private schools, or pressing parents for purchases from any particular shop.

In a separate circular, the Director of DSEJ, while addressing complaints regarding private schools demanding annual and admission fees, as well as other charges besides tuition fees, from parents of students enrolled in their institutions, said, “Such schools have also increased their annual and tuition fees without the approval of the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC).”

The DSEJ said all private schools should strictly abide by the J-K School Education Act 2002 and desist from charging any fee other than approved by the fee fixation and regulation committee. Any deviation will invite action as envisaged under Section 27 (2) of the Act, the circular added.