Madhya Pradesh: Bhind district administration imposes Rs 20,000 fine on 7 schools for overcharging students for textbooks; refunds ordered

BHOPAL:The Bhind district administration imposed fines of Rs 20,000 each on seven private schools after discovering they overcharged students for textbooks beyond authorised rates.

District Collector Sanjeev Srivastava initiated an enquiry following parental grievances about schools collaborating with booksellers to charge inflated prices. The investigation was conducted by a team led by the District Education Officer."The administration imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each of the seven schools running classes from 1 to 8. They have also been directed to refund the amount to all those students from whom more money was charged for books than the prescribed rate," said Collector Shrivastava.The investigation uncovered definitive proof of schools compelling students of classes 1 to 8 to purchase textbooks at prices substantially above market rates, thereby breaching educational standards and imposing undue financial strain on families. The authorities have cautioned that future breaches would result in more severe penalties.The District Education Office distributed directives to all private schools in Bhind regarding book pricing.

The institutions must openly display govt-sanctioned rates and cannot mandate purchases from particular vendors. Parents are encouraged to notify the district authorities about any overcharging incidents.For accountability purposes, schools must now document all book transactions comprehensively. The authorities will conduct periodic inspections to curb such unfair practices.The MP Parent Association endorsed these enforcement measures, observing that such financial exploitation became routine recently.

"The Bhind district administration's intervention set a precedent for other regions facing similar issues," said Association General Secretary, Prabodh Pandya.The non-compliant schools received instructions to return excessive charges to parents. They are required to submit detailed reports outlining preventive measures against future violations. The District Education Officer will supervise the execution of these remedial steps.This enforcement initiative forms part of comprehensive measures to oversee private educational establishments and ensure affordable quality education. Officials have stressed that whilst private schools are essential educational providers, they must function within regulatory frameworks and uphold ethical standards.