Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): A case was registered against the management of Podar International School on Tuesday for pressurising parents to purchase books, uniforms and other material from same shop. This is despite the fact that district administration had warned to take action against schools if the latter insisted on purchasing study material from the same shop. The school is located on Ayodhya Bypass.
District Education Officer (DEO) Nitin Saxena had lodged a complaint at Chhola police station in this regard. An FIR (Free Press has copy) has been registered against the school administrator Ankit Jain.
Parents had complained to the School Education Department that Podar International School Management was pressurising them to buy uniforms and books from the same shop. The students were told that they would not be allowed enter the school if did not follow the diktat.
On Tuesday, District Education Officer (DEO) Nitin Saxena along with the team inspected the school. Investigation revealed that class-wise list of books along with the name and price of the author and publisher was not pasted on the notice board. The list was not made available though the children and parents had said that they would buy books from open market as per their convenience. The principal has also not given information about the books and publishers on website, email id deobho-mp@nic.in
On Monday, collector Asheesh Singh had instructed SDMs and DEO to implement prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC to end the monopoly of private schools, publishers and book sellers. Under it, operators of private schools will not be able to force students or parents to buy uniforms, shoes, ties, books, notebooks etc from designated shops only.
