Chandigarh: In a move aimed at curbing the alleged nexus between schools and select vendors selling books and uniforms, the Chandigarh Education Department has issued fresh directions to all private unaided recognised schools, barring them from forcing parents to purchase prescribed items from specific shops.
The revised instructions, issued by the District Education Officer (DEO), U.T. Chandigarh, mandate schools to publish the complete class-wise list of prescribed textbooks and uniforms for the 2026–27 academic session online within three days of the circular’s issuance which seeks to prevent commercialization and harassment of parents during the start of the academic session.
As per the directions, schools must upload the list of textbooks — clearly mentioning the title, author and publisher — along with details of uniforms on the homepage of their official websites. The same lists must also be prominently displayed on school notice boards so that parents can easily access the information.
The education department has clearly directed that schools shall neither verbally nor in writing ask parents to buy books or uniforms from any particular shop or vendor. Parents must be free to purchase the prescribed items from any vendor of their choice in the open market.
Schools have also been asked to ensure that the prescribed books and uniforms are available through multiple vendors across the city to prevent artificial shortages, long queues and monopolistic practices often reported during the admission and new session period.
Further tightening the norms, the administration has prohibited schools from compelling parents to buy textbooks, stationery or uniforms from within the school premises, a practice that has frequently drawn complaints from parents in the past.
The circular warns that any verified complaint from parents regarding forced purchases or harassment due to delayed publication of book or uniform lists will be taken seriously by the department. The directions have been issued to principals and heads of all private unaided recognised schools in Chandigarh and are to be followed “in letter and spirit”, the DEO stated.
