Education Directorate Restricts Compulsion on Buying School Material from Specific Shops

‘Success of ‘Surajya Abhiyan’s mission to prevent looting of parents
Directs to set up machinery to redress complaints

Mumbai – Private schools looting parents in the name of buying school material has been stopped through the mission launched under ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ and it is a big success of this drive. On 15.04.2026, the Education Directorate has issued a circular instructing schools to stop compulsion to buy school material like uniform, text books, notebooks, etc. from specific shops. The most important point under this circular is, along with the instructions, there is an order to set up a capable grievance redressal machinery. ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ has welcomed the Government’s decision and appealed Mr Dharmendra Pradhan, the Central Education Minister to implement similar transparent machinery in every State and by Education Board. The above information was shared by Mr Abhishek Murkute, the Maharashtra State coordinator of ‘Surajya Abhiyan’.

#Success | @SurajyaAbhiyan ✊

Schools can’t force purchases from specific vendors!

Maharashtra school education department issues a fresh circular directing all schools not to compel parents to buy uniforms, textbooks or other materials from specific shops or through the school pic.twitter.com/kJBsFwQVVd

— Surajya Abhiyan (@SurajyaAbhiyan) April 16, 2026

Mandatory points in the Government circular

Through the circular, the State Education Directorate has ordered all related schools to take immediate action and pass a resolution that the school will not force purchase of uniforms and other school material from specific shops or through schools from the educational year 2026-27.

1. The schools should publish email-id of their office to receive complaints in this context and a nodal officer may be appointed to attend to such complaints.

2. The schools should take action to extensively publish details of this circular in schools of all mediums under their dominion.

3. An education or administrative officer should find details whenever a complaint is received and take action if there is truth in the complaint.

Appeal by ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ to parents

Mr Abhishek Murkute, the Maharashtra State coordinator of ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ stated that making rules is not enough but their effective implementation will only be good governance.

1. There is a Government decision dated 11.06.2004 against schools acting as per their whims but looting of parents has been going on due to lack of effective implementation and machinery. With the constant follow up under ‘Surajya Abhiyan’, the rules on paper will now actually come into effect.

2.There will be facility to get redressal for the grievances through the nodal officers and parents should send their complaints through email, along with the proof, without any hesitation. Parents can also contact ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ in case of need.

3. School is not a commercial centre but it is a sacred temple to acquire knowledge. Parents need to be alert to preserve this principle.

4. Similar steps have been taken by even other States in India; but this problem is spread throughout the country and many schools run by the Central Boards show disregard towards the States’ rules; therefore, we have demanded with the Central Education Secretary and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that a common order be issued at the national level so that parents from every State will be saved of the looting.