‘Too little, too late’: Stakeholders criticise Government for delayed action on overpriced textbooks

Srinagar, Nov 13: The recent instructions issued by the education minister, Sakina Itoo, regarding the illegal selling of textbooks by private schools through different agencies have found no takers, as the parents said that waking up to the issue now was "crying over spilt milk.”

On Wednesday, the Minister for Education, Sakina Itoo, chaired a review meeting of the School Education Department (SED) across the Kashmir division.

During the meeting, the education minister issued strict instructions to Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to check "unregulated selling" of school textbooks by private schools through various agencies at exorbitant rates.

However, the stakeholders sharply reacted to the instructions and said the government was trying to fool the parents by responding to the issue almost two weeks after the commencement of the new academic session.

"It has been more than 10 days now since the issue about the illegal profiteering by private schools was highlighted, but the government did not take any cognisance of the issue at the right time," said Muhammad Jibran, one of the aggrieved parents.

"It is merely an eyewash now because almost all the parents have purchased the textbooks and the kids have already joined the new classes," he said.

The parents accused the government of being hand-in-glove with the private schools, giving them a free hand to fleece the parents at the time of the new academic session.

"The bureaucrats and ministers are parents in private schools. That is why they remain mute spectators when it is the time to act and later issue instructions when the issue dies down," said Muhammad Imran, another parent from Srinagar.

Greater Kashmir carried a series of stories about the issue and highlighted the plight of the parents of the kids enrolled in private schools.

The officers and the ministers earlier assured that action would be taken against the private schools for turning educational institutions into business houses.

Also, Secretary SED convened a meeting with the representatives of the associations of the private schools.

The meeting discussed the government directive for the private schools to adopt JKBOSE-prescribed textbooks, and the association stated that if private schools in other states have the freedom to choose books, why should J&K’s institutions be bound by this restriction.

A few years ago, J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) made it mandatory for all private schools to adopt its prescribed textbooks across all grades—from primary to higher secondary levels—under the J&K Board of School Education Act, 1975.

But, over the last two weeks, there has been an outcry against the private schools for prescribing overpriced textbooks from private publishers.

The parents accused private schools of prescribing extra books to earn commissions from publishers. They said schools affiliated with JKBOSE claim to follow the Cambridge curriculum, where a single set of textbooks costs between Rs 7000 and Rs 8000, which goes beyond their reach.

In the wake of this, Director School Education Kashmir Naseer Ahmad Wani told Greater Kashmir on November 4 of 2025, that he will convene a meeting in this regard and see to what extent the "department can regulate these schools under the Education Act."

However, no action was taken against the private schools despite violating the government order for prescribing JKBOSE books to students.

Also, on November 7 of 2025, the minister for education acknowledged that the private schools "have become unruly" and they will face action for prescribing textbooks of private publishers.

But no action was initiated till the parents purchased the textbooks of private publishers as per the directions received from the private schools.

On November 12 of 2025, the education minister asked the CEOs to conduct routine checks on schools as well as book shops and take stringent action against schools and book shops involved in selling textbooks at exorbitant rates.

She also instructed the DSEK to issue a detailed order regarding curriculum and textbooks to be followed by schools and sought strict implementation of the order in letter and spirit.

However, the parents termed it as 'Locking stable when horses were gone', saying that waking up to the issue after two weeks will bear no fruit.

"If the government is really serious about it, let them inspect the school campuses and ensure that the amount paid for these costly books is compensated to the parents.

"Damage has already been done. It is just a waste of time to expect any action from the government. Had the government been serious about it, then action would have been taken earlier. Now they are just making fun of the suffering of the parents," said Parvez Ahmad, a parent.