Rohtak: Pvt schools ‘forcing’ parents to buy books from specific shops

Tribune News Service

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, April 10

Owners of certain private schools are fleecing parents by forcing them to buy books of specific publications and uniform of a particular make at arbitrary prices.

These books and uniforms, which are specified by these schools, are available only at specific outlets, which does not leave parents with any choice.

The managements of some schools are also changing uniform and books so that the old ones cannot be re-used, hence compelling the parents to buy the new ones.

“It is an open loot by the school managements, which just want to make money by hook or by crook,” alleged Vijay Malik, a local resident whose son and daughter study at a private school.

RK Gupta, father of a school-going boy, said most of the outlets selling books and uniforms were not even giving proper bills to the buyers. “No proper bills are given by the retailers who are selling goods worth lakhs of rupees per day. This indicates a massive evasion of tax by the sellers, who obviously share their profits with the school-owners,” he said.

Many parents find it tough to pay the exorbitant prices for new books and uniforms apart from the hefty fees charged by the school managements at the beginning of the new academic session.

“This is unfair for the parents who cannot afford the new sets of books and uniforms for their children, but the school owners are only concerned about filling their pockets,” said Asha, a parent.

The parents said the government should take some effective steps to rein in the school managements in order to stop the exploitation of parents.

“Unfortunately, the government is watching the open loot in the name of education by the school owners as a mute spectator,” laments Narender Singh, another parent.

When contacted, Rohtak SDM Ashish Kumar said he would ask the officers concerned to look into the issue and take appropriate action. “I will direct the District Education Officer to examine the matter, following which appropriate legal action would be taken in this regard,” he stated.

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