Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), by issuing an advisory note, has asked schools not to sell text books and other stationary items within the school premises or through any selected vendors.
The board has issued the advisory in response to various complaints received from parents and stakeholders. CBSE has asked schools to ‘adhere to the provisions of Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board’.
The Board has listed the sale of books, stationary, uniforms, school bags, etc in the advisory and has directed schools to refrain from the same.
According to the official release’s rule 19.1 (ii) of CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws – It is mandatory 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.
In addition to this, CBSE has also emphasised on the use of NCERT text books. The board has received the complaints regarding pressure exercised by schools to buy books other than NCERT. Recently, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said that NCERT textbooks have been supplied to around 2000 private schools.