Do not run schools like shops: CBSE

Schools should not run like shops selling essentials like books and uniform to children, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has told schools.

The Board, late on Wednesday, issued an advisory to schools asking them to “not indulge in commercial activities by way of selling of books, stationary, uniforms, school bag etc” and adhere to the CBSE affiliation by-laws.

Affiliation by-Laws for the CBSE 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 commercialisation does not take place in the school in any shape whatsoever.

Schools asking parents to buy bags, uniforms and books from either them or their designated vendors has been a big cause of worry for parents.

“Every time there is an activity in school, they ask us to buy things from them. When winter starts, they ask us to buy jackets, socks, leggings for girls, everything from their vendors. This is really unfair, this way we end up spending more on all such purchases as compared to our children’s education,” says Shweta Tiwari, a parent whose two daughters go to a private school in Delhi.

With the latest advisory, parents are hoping that the practice of running schools like shops will come to an end.

“The Board, time and again, has issued advisories to all its affiliated schools not to indulge in commercial activities by way of selling of textbooks, note books, stationery 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 by way of selling of books and uniforms etc within the school premises or through selected vendors,” the Board in a circular issued to schools read.

“Therefore, the schools are directed to desist from the unhealthy practice of coercing parents to buy textbooks, note books, stationary, uniforms, shoes, schoolbags etc from within the premise or from selected vendors only,” it added.

They have also reiterated that schools should strictly only follow National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books as a part of their curriculum.