The Karnataka education department has ruled that no school will be allowed to sell any textbooks, uniforms or other accessories in the state. A circular has been issued by the department.

Parents of school students have debated the issue of buying books, uniforms and other accessories from schools. The department has ordered that schools cannot run commercial activities within their premises. Hence, no such items can be sold. The decision has drawn criticisms from the authorities of the private schools. The government has responded to the matter calling the practice of selling items in schools illegal.

Agitated by the government’s stance, school authorities have claimed that they would boycott the distribution of textbooks, which can turn the entire system paralyzed. D Shashi Kumar, General Secretary of Associated Managements of English Medium Schools in Karnataka, told Bangalore Mirror, “The Karnataka State Education Act clearly states that schools can facilitate the sale of books and other accessories, though they should not force it upon the students. The system we are following is that the school collects the amount (for textbooks) from students and pays it to the Education Department three months in advance. Only then the government would pay us.”

But there is now a big uncertainty looming in the minds of parents. They wonder where they will buy books for their children. There are many schools which try to make money and sometimes even blackmail their students into buying dresses and uniforms but at the same time unavailability of books in the market is a problem. The govt. needs to ensure that the students don’t face any such problem.