PCMC pulls up 4 private schools for rule violation

Pimpri Chinchwad: The education department of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has served notices to four private schools in the city for forcing students to buy academic material from them at high rates in violation of a government order.
The PCMC has sealed the rooms in these schools in which the material — textbooks, uniforms, notebooks and others — was stored.

Vilas Patil, nodal officer of PCMC’s education department, said schools were prohibited from making it mandatory for parents to buy academic material, such as textbooks, uniforms or stationery, from them or any other specific vendor, as per a 2004 state government resolution (GR). He said they have been receiving many complaints from parents.

“Such complaints are mostly against private, unaided schools. As per the government resolution, such schools can face strict action and so, we have sealed the classrooms where the material was stored. We have served notices and are waiting their replies,” Patil said, encouraging other parents to come forward and complain against violations.

The June 11, 2004 GR issued by the state education department states that no private school can make it mandatory to buy a uniform or other academic material from the school’s inventory or any specific vendor, either directly or indirectly. The GR also directs schools to inform parents a year in advance about the changes in schoolbooks or uniforms.

The 2004 government resolution also outlines strict action against non-compliant schools, including blacklisting such schools, cutting off their aid (if the school is aided), cancelling their recognition and serving them notices.

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