HC for action against schools not prescribing NCERT books

HIGH COURT ASKS CBSE, SCHOOL BOARDS OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA, CHANDIGARH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND ICSE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST INSTITUTIONS PREFERRING BOOKS OF PRIVATE PUBLISHERS OVER NCERT TITLES

CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday directed the governments of the two states and CBSE to take action against private schools prescribing books other than those published by NCERT and education boards. The court has granted month’s time to the governments of Punjab and Haryana and the CBSE.

The directions were issued by justice Surya Kant while disposing of a public interest litigation ( PIL) filed by NGO All India Crime Preventive Society.

The petitioner alleged that private schools in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh were prescribing expensive books of private publishers.

The petitioner pointed out that as per rules, school can only prescribe books of the state board or NCERT. The petitioner alleged that private schools get commissions from private publishers.

The petitioner pointed out that the books published by the board and the NCERT cost much less than those of private publishers even though the syllabus was the same.

Disposing of the PIL, the court directed CBSE, state school boards of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh education department and ICSE to take action against private schools that are prescrib- ing books other than published by NCERT and state boards.

EARLIER HIGH FEE WAS OPPOSED

It may be pointed out that this NGO had earlier filed a petition against the high fee being charged by private schools in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

It was on this petition that the high court had constituted a committee of retired high court judges to examine the fee structure and inspect the accounts of the schools.