The increasing cost of living already puts pressure on family budgets, and the sky-high prices of school textbooks only make things worse for most families. A viral social media clip recently criticized private schools for being like commercial shops, charging students exorbitantly for textbooks.
In the video, a man is outraged that Rs 6,000 is being charged by schools for textbooks as unnecessary and pocket-pinching for parents. He rhetorically asks if the books contain silver or have some magical properties that make them worth such a price. He is curious about why such costly material is being sold given that there is a New Education Policy of “One Nation, One Class, One Curriculum, One Publication.”
The frustration of the man is symptomatic of a wider feeling among parents, who feel ensnared by the need to buy everything—books and uniforms to shoes and belts—straight from schools. The irony is caught in a viral joke: when a father inquires about education from a teacher, she tells him, “For that, arrange tuition elsewhere.”
Social media participants resonated with these sentiments. One posted, “Schools are turning into malls. Buy everything here, but for studies, go outside.” Another posted, “India is turning into a marketplace where anything can be bought.” Several pointed out how parents are compelled to purchase notebooks and other stationery from particular sellers at inflated prices.
Others called for regulatory changes, contending schools need to only teach and not make money from charging high prices for materials. An increased clamor for openness and honest pricing in education is picking up steam as parents seek accountability.
