‘Stop practice of fixing vendors’

CBSE advisory to schools...

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed all affiliated schools to stop the unhealthy practice of forcing parents to purchase textbooks, stationary and uniforms from within the premise or from selected vendors.

A communication, sent to all the schools, said that educational institutions are not commercial establishments and sale of the aforementioned items by them is a violation of norms.

“The CBSE norms mandate that schools are run as community service and not as a business and that commercialisation does not take place in the school in any shape whatsoever. Educational institutions are not commercial establishments and their sole purpose is to provide quality education,” it said.

The advisory was issued bt the CBSE following complaints from parents and stakeholders that schools are indulging in commercial activities by way of selling books and uniforms within the school premises or through selected vendors.

“The board has taken a serious view of the complaints and the schools are directed to desist from the unhealthy practice of coercing parents to buy text books, notebooks, stationary, uniforms, shoes, school bags, etc., from within the premise or from selected vendors only,” it said.

The CBSE has also reiterated its directive to schools to stick to books published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).