Srinagar, Mar 28: The private schools have come under severe criticism for resorting to “illegal profiteering” by prescribing textbooks from private publishers in addition to the textbooks prescribed by the J&K Board of School Education (BOSE).
The additional textbooks, which are not part of the curriculum, are sold at exorbitant rates by the booksellers and have doubled the burden on the parents.
Complaints are pouring in against various private schools for resorting to “illegal profiteering” as these schools are forcing the parents to purchase additional textbooks from specific bookshops.
“The entire book set prescribed by BOSE costs around Rs 300 to Rs 400 for 3rd primary but on the other hand one Urdu textbook of private publishers and recommended by a private school costs Rs 280,” said Mudasir Ahmad, a parent from Srinagar. “Not only any specific school, but all the private schools have resorted to illegal profiteering and fleece parents by prescribing additional sets of textbooks.”
The parents said that the schools were hand-in-glove with private publishers and earned commissions from these textbooks.
“The schools earn around 40 to 45 percent commission of the actual price tag fixed on the textbooks of private publishers. It is a big nexus between the schools and the private publishers,” another parent said.
The parents said that the schools were making a mockery of the government orders.
“These schools do not even leave any scope of bargaining for purchasing these textbooks as these textbooks are kept available with specific bookshops,” the parents said.
A bookseller from Baramulla said that the complete set of textbooks for primary classes does not go beyond Rs 500 while the price of textbook sets for upper primary classes remains below Rs 1000.
“We have received a fresh supply of textbooks from BOSE but private schools are still prescribing textbooks from private publishers,” said the bookseller wishing not to be named.
The BOSE has made it mandatory for all private schools to adopt BOSE-prescribed textbooks for all classes from primary to class 12th from the current academic session.
The orders were issued by BOSE using its powers vested under the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education Act, 1975.
“Under the Act, BOSE holds the authority to prescribe courses of instruction, curricula, syllabi, and textbooks for various academic levels, including pre-primary, elementary, secondary, and higher secondary school examinations,” the circular reads.
However, the circular instructions issued by the BOSE have witnessed poor implementation on the ground.
Amid the complaints against private schools over non-compliance with adopting the BOSE curriculum, the BOSE has instructed all the district and tehsil-level officials to rigorously monitor and ensure the implementation of BOSE-prescribed textbooks in private academic institutions within their jurisdictions for the academic session 2024-25.
The BOSE said that the non-compliance by any school may lead to penal action against such defaulting institutions.
Deputy Secretary BOSE in a circular said that despite regulations, some private academic institutions were observed to be deviating from the prescribed materials, opting instead for self-devised curricula and unauthorised textbooks from private publishers.
“This violation not only creates inconvenience for students and parents who struggle to access the required learning materials but also undermines the meticulous efforts invested by BOSE in designing curriculum and textbooks to meet educational standards,” the circular instruction reads.
The BOSE has said that such practices not only disrupt the educational ecosystem but also result in financial losses for the BOSE as substantial resources are expended in developing educational content.
“The unchecked defiance exhibited by certain private schools not only compromises the quality of education but also sets a detrimental precedent, potentially fostering a culture of non-compliance among other stakeholders,” it reads.
The BOSE has instructed all the officers at sub-offices to conduct inspections of private schools and ascertain the reports about the implementation status of BOSE-prescribed textbooks by private schools for the academic session 2024-25.
“Any instances of non-compliance are to be promptly reported, and a list of defaulting institutions is to be furnished for further necessary action,” it reads.