NHRC Takes Action Against Private Schools Over Costly Textbooks
NHRC's Notice to Education Authorities
Photo: IANS
New Delhi, April 22: On Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Union Ministry of Education, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories (UTs) regarding allegations that private schools are mandating expensive textbooks from private publishers, breaching established regulations.
A Bench led by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo acknowledged a complaint stating that numerous private institutions, including those affiliated with CBSE, are requiring students to purchase books from private publishers rather than those recommended by NCERT or the respective SCERTs.
The complaint argues that this practice places an "excessive financial strain" on families, as privately published materials are considerably pricier than NCERT textbooks, which are subsidized to maintain affordability.
Additionally, it claims that this trend contradicts the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims for equitable and inclusive educational access, and infringes upon Section 29 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
The complainant also pointed out that the requirement for multiple textbooks and workbooks breaches the National School Bag Policy, 2020, which aims to regulate the weight of school bags and limit the use of extra reference materials.
In response to these allegations, the NHRC indicated that if the claims are accurate, they suggest potential violations of the RTE Act, 2009.
Utilizing its authority under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC has directed the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, the Union Ministry of Education, and Chief Secretaries of all states and UTs to investigate the issues raised and provide an Action Taken Report (ATR).
The NHRC has requested information on whether state governments have issued directives to district authorities to monitor compliance with Section 29 of the RTE Act, and if not, to ensure that private schools only use NCERT/SCERT textbooks at the elementary level.
Furthermore, state governments are required to provide data on student enrollment in both government and private schools, details of textbooks acquired for the academic year 2025–26, and information on any inspections or audits conducted to evaluate compliance by private schools.
In instances where audits have not been performed, the NHRC has instructed authorities to conduct a school-specific audit of booklists within 30 days and report their findings.
The NHRC has also emphasized the need for strict adherence to the National School Bag Policy, 2020.
In a separate request, the Ministry of Education has been asked to clarify the role of academic bodies like NCERT and SCERTs in determining school curricula and textbooks under Section 29 of the RTE Act.
Additionally, it has been requested to clarify whether examination boards have any authority to prescribe textbooks at the elementary level.
The NHRC has mandated that comprehensive ATRs, along with supporting documentation, be submitted within specified timelines for review.