Reining in educational loot : After the order of Jalgaon administration, action is needed across the state : Surajya Abhiyan

Case of forcing students to buy school supplies from a particular shop

Jalgaon, Maharashtra – Students from many schools in the state are compelled to get school supplies, uniforms, notebooks and shoes etc. from a specific shop. Through this compulsion, there is financial exchange between the school management and the traders, which directly affects the parents of the students. The follow up  undertaken by Surajya Abhiyan of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti is succeeding in stopping this injustice. The Jalgaon district education officer has issued clear orders against the above compulsion.  The Surajya Abhiyan, wing of The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has urged the Maharashtra government to implement such orders not just in Jalgaon but across the state, Madhav Savlani of Surajya Abhiyaan saidat a press conference.

Addressing a press conference at Padmalaya Rest House in Jalgaon, North Maharashtra Convenor of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Shri. Prashant Juvekar, Advocate Niranjan Chaudhary, RTI activist Mr Narendra Sapkale and Mr Gajanan Tambat were present.

1. In most districts of the state, students and parents are forced to buy materials from specific shops from school managements. Therefore,  the government has directed the school administration to put up signboards in the front area saying that ‘there is no rule to buy school goods from a particular shop’.Students are free to pick up materials from any shop. Such a compulsion is not legally recognised under the Right to Education Act. The order is not limited to one district.

2. In March 2025, ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ had submitted a memorandum to School Education Minister Dadaji Bhoose, demanding that such an order be implemented across the state. The education minister then directed the principal secretary to take action.  The  government should reveal what action has been taken.  The Surajya Abhiyan has demanded  immediate issuance of clear orders across the state, strict action against schools that force them, de-recognition them if required,  and introduction of toll-free numbers and e-mail facilities to register complaints. The Surajya Abhiyan has expressed the belief that if the government takes concrete steps, financial injustice meted out to the students can stop.