A PIL has been filed in Delhi High Court against CBSE private schools forcing EWS students to buy expensive books and uniforms. The petitioner seeks mandatory NCERT books and strict regulation of school bag weight.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Delhi High Court asking for urgent action to stop private CBSE schools from forcing students belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) to purchase costly books, uniforms, and school kits from private publishers and vendors.
The petition has been moved by Jagjeet Singh Sahni, who requested the Court to direct all CBSE-affiliated private schools to strictly use NCERT books and only move to private publishers when there is a genuine shortage of NCERT material.
ALSO READ: Bombay High Court To Watch ‘Ajey: The Untold Story’ About UP CM Yogi To Resolve CBFC Ban
According to the petitioner, EWS students in private schools face systematic exclusion because of the high and unregulated pricing of school books.
Parents are indirectly burdened financially, as they are compelled to purchase overpriced private publisher books and extra school materials, which are not required under the law.
The PIL highlights the huge price difference between NCERT books and private publisher books.
It states:
“The actual price of NCERT books for the same classes is frequently around Rs 65 per book, and yet, private books costing up to Rs 400 to Rs 700 per book are bundled into “kits” and sold to parents under implicit compulsion.”
The petitioner also urged the Court to frame binding rules and regulations to ensure that schools cannot force parents to buy books from selected vendors, thereby preventing monopolistic and exploitative practices.
The petition further argues,
“The arbitrary and unchecked practice of prescribing books by private publishers in CBSE-affiliated private schools, in clear disregard of statutory norms and regulatory guidance, has led to widespread financial exploitation of parents and students alike. This unchecked commercialisation not only burdens families with unnecessary expenses but also directly contravenes the letter and spirit of the RTE Act, CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws, and constitutional guarantees under Articles 14 and 21A of the Constitution of India.”
In addition to this, the petitioner has asked the Court to ensure the strict implementation of the School Bag Policy, 2020, which mandates that the weight of a school bag should not exceed 10% of the child’s body weight.
The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the Delhi High Court on August 27.
CASE TITLE:
Jasmeet Singh Sahni Vs. Union Of India & Ors.
Would You Like Assistance In Drafting A Legal Notice Or Complaint?
CLICK HERE
Click Here to Read Our Reports on CJI BR Gavai
Click Here to Read Our Reports on Private Schools
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
