Textbook monopoly persists weeks after complaint to edu dept

Chandigarh: Weeks after the Chandigarh Parents' Association submitted a complaint on March 11 alleging restricted supply of school textbooks, parents say the situation on the ground remains unchanged, with no visible enforcement and books of some private schools still limited to select shops.The representation had flagged that at least four private schools were defeating the intent of the education department's Feb 27 order mandating transparency in textbook lists. Parents now say that despite the passage of time, availability remains restricted, raising concerns over lack of effective follow-up.On-ground checks across major book markets in Sector 19, Sector 22 and Sector 7 indicate that textbooks of the four schools complaint of which was submitted, located in Sectors 44, 46, 27 and 26, are not available at most leading bookstores.Availability, where it exists, remains highly selective. Books of the school in Sector 27 were found at a shop in Sector 19, while those of the Sector 46 school were available only at a store in Sector 34. For the other two schools, parents said books continue to be confined to one or two outlets.Parents allege that this restricted supply effectively creates a monopoly, despite formal compliance with the department's directive. "Books are being made available selectively, and in many cases parents are not being given the option to buy individual books. They are being forced to purchase full sets," said Nitin Goyal, president of the Chandigarh Parents' Association. "This restricts choice and puts additional financial burden on families."He added that several booksellers are willing to offer discounts but are unable to procure books. "They would rather give parents better prices instead of paying commissions, but they are not being supplied books outside this closed network," he said.Adding to the concerns, a video circulating on social media shows a parent standing outside a bookstore in Sector 47, holding bundles of books and alleging that private schools are acting arbitrarily in controlling where books are sold.District Education Officer Devender Singh said explanations had been sought from the schools named in the complaint. "They have denied the allegations and stated that books are available at multiple bookstores," he said, adding that a committee will be sent for on-ground verification if the issue persists.Complaints of parents and ground check however, shows that the situation continues to contradict official claims, raising concerns over whether the department's order is being implemented in both letter and spirit.Box:Despite official claims of open-market availability, checks at major book markets in Sector 19, 22 and 7 found that even leading bookstores do not stock textbooks of some private schools named in the March 11 complaint. Availability remains limited to one or two outlets, with parents alleging that this effectively creates a controlled supply system even weeks after the issue was formally raised.