Ahead of the commencement of the new academic year, the Delhi Government has told private schools in the national capital that they cannot force parents to purchase textbooks, notebooks, uniforms, bags, and other materials from specific vendors.

The Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DoE), in an order issued on April 1, said parents should be allowed to purchase books and uniforms from any vendor as long as they conform to the prescribed syllabus and specifications.

Schools can't mandate vendor Private unaided recognised schools cannot mandate purchases of books, uniforms, stationery, or accessories from any particular shop, supplier, or organisation, the order said.

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Schools have also been banned from forcing parents to purchase additional or unnecessary study materials.

Details of prescribed books should be made public To ensure transparency, schools must display a complete class-wise list of prescribed books and materials by their respective boards, including CBSE, ICSE, or the state board, on their official websites, notice boards, and within school premises, the order stated.

Can't change uniform frequenly Further, schools have also been directed to schools not to make frequent changes in their uniforms. According to the directive, once finalised, a uniform must remain unchanged for at least three years.

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Schools have also been asked to provide details of at least five nearby vendors, including names, addresses and contact numbers where the required items are available in the open market.

Mechanism to report violations To ensure compliance, the DoE has appointed a nodal officer, and parents can report violations directly to Dr Rajpal Singh, Deputy Director of Education, at 9818154069 between 9 am and 6 pm on working days.

The DoE said private schools are expected to function on a ‘no profit, no loss’ basis, that is, operating only to cover actual costs, without generating any surplus or incurring losses.

The order, issued by Director (Education) Veditha Reddy, also warned that schools violating the directive may face action under the Delhi School Education Act and Rules (DSEAR), 1973, and the Right to Education Rules, 2011.

According to officials, the order was issued after widespread complaints from parents that they were being forced by schools to purchase uniforms and books from specific vendors, at inflated prices.

Parents complain about ‘extortion’ In recent days, several videos and posts had gone viral on social media, showing parents complaining about buying uniforms, books, and other accessories from particular vendors at higher than market prices, as schools had made them mandatory.

Many had called such practices daylight robbery and extortion and had urged the government to take strict action against such schools.