India, April 9 -- In an official circular issued on April 7, primary education officer of Zilla Parishad (ZP) Pune, Sanjay Naikwade, warned private English-medium schools against compelling students to purchase uniforms and textbooks exclusively from them. In the event the schools violate these norms, strict action will be taken against them including a recommendation to cancel their recognition.

According to the education department, several complaints have been received from parents about schools forcing them to buy uniforms and textbooks at inflated prices. These items are often available in the open market at significantly lower rates, leading to financial exploitation of parents. The department has also noted that while the governme...