Students should not be forced to buy outside books: NCPCR

New Delhi: No school or teacher will force any student to purchase books from publishers other than National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

The child rights body has also told parents that if the schools force the student to purchase the books from other publisherrs, they can complain to the commission.

According to NCPCR, the commission has received several complaints regarding the school forcing them to buy books from publishers other than NCERT and SCERT. The parents had to pay a high amount of money to purchase these books from outside publishers.

The commission has written a letter to all the chief secretaries in states including Delhi. In the letter, it has claimed that the step is directed at limiting the scope of discrimination in education under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009.

"It was observed by the commission that the same is being violated by schools by not following the curriculum and evaluation procedure as per the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) laid down by the academic authority," said the letter. In order to ensure uniformity of curriculum at elementary level throughout the country, it is recommended that the State Education Department should monitor the curriculum and evaluation criteria followed by the state board through SCERTs and ensure that the same is being followed in the schools as per the NCF.

"Ensuring this will result in uniformity in the curriculum in all schools under RTE Act, 2009 and quality education for all children," said the commission. Priyank Kanoongo, member NCPCR, told the Millennium Post that the parents can complain to the commission if they face any such situation.

"No one can harass student to purchase books from publishers other than NCERT and SCERT. The commission will take action on such issues," said Priyank Kanoongo