📝 RTI Application Seeks Action on School Grievance: A Matter of Public Interest

This blog post provides information about an Online RTI Request. RTI Registration is an important part of understanding how to file such requests. Someone filed it with the Secondary Education Department. This department is part of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The request addresses a significant public grievance regarding the sale of non-NCERT books in certain private schools in Mirzapur.

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🏛️ Background: The Grievance and Central Government Intervention

The applicant is Shivam Verma. He filed the RTI (Registration Number: DPSED/R/2025/60524) on July 11, 2025. He sought crucial information about the action taken on a prior grievance (Registration Number: DOSEL/E/2025/0003990).

The core of the issue stems from an action taken by the Central Government. Specifically, the staff of the Ministry of Education, Department of School Education & Literacy, New Delhi is responsible.

The initial grievance (DOSEL/E/2025/0003990) was sent to the Principal Secretary (Basic Education). It was also sent to the Additional Chief Secretary (Secondary Education) of the State Government of Uttar Pradesh. This was done via letter No. 6-3/2025-IS-15 dated May 19, 2025, for necessary action.

The Ministry of Education addressed the applicant’s Appeal (No. DOSEL/C1N2510000616 dated 24.05.2025) in June 2025, specifically referencing the initial grievance.

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🎯 Key Information Sought by the Applicant

The Public Information Officer (PIO) received an explicit request from the applicant for five specific points of information. The applicant seeks these points from the Department of Secondary Education, emphasizing the matter’s wide public interest.

1. Action Taken by Additional Chief Secretary

The applicant requests the action taken by the Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department (Secondary Education). This department belongs to the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The request concerns the grievance with registration number DOSEL/E/2025/0003990, forwarded by the Central Government.

2. Details of Staff Processing the Grievance

The RTI seeks the name and designation of the public staff in the Department of Secondary Education. They are currently processing this specific grievance.

3. Inquiry Details Against Specific Schools

The paragraph now reads: Information requests the name and designation of the staff who are making an inquiry against.

• The Lions School at Bhujwa ki Chowki, Mirzapur City.
• Lions School at Laldiggi, Mirzapur City.

These schools openly pressure students and guardians to purchase non-NCERT books, as stated in the inquiry.

4. Action Against Institutions Selling Private Books

The District Inspector of Schools in Mirzapur is investigating institutions that are cryptically selling private writers’ books within their premises. The applicant asks for the action taken. Various methods are being adopted for these sales.

5. Official Directives on NCERT Books

The Government of Uttar Pradesh issues all relevant office memos. It also issues government orders, circulars, guidelines, and advisories. This ensures the use of N.C.E.R.T. books in public schools.

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🛑 The Core Public Interest: Education and Commercialization

The underlying public interest issue is the commercialization of education. This issue is highlighted by the applicant’s lack of faith in the “cryptic and mysterious dealings” of district-level education officials. Certain schools are allegedly forcing the purchase of non-NCERT books. This practice is a recurring grievance. It puts an unnecessary financial burden on parents. It also potentially compromises the standardized quality of education.

The RTI aims to enforce transparency and accountability. It focuses on the actions taken by the highest state authorities (Additional Chief Secretary). It also targets district officials (District Inspector of Schools) following the Central Government’s intervention.

The PIO is requested to provide the five points of information. They must do this within the stipulated 30 days. This is prescribed under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

🏛️ Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Directives

The CBSE, which governs many schools across India, has issued several circulars. These circulars make the adoption of NCERT textbooks mandatory or strongly advised. They also place responsibility on school management for the content of any supplementary books.

1. Mandatory Use of NCERT Books (Classes IX to XII)

The CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws have been amended. Schools must now mandatorily follow NCERT textbooks for the subjects prescribed in the CBSE curriculum for Classes IX to XII.

• Directive: Schools must use NCERT textbooks wherever available. They must use CBSE books for subjects where NCERT/SCERT books are not available. These CBSE books are uploaded on the website.
• Source: CBSE Notification/Circulars related to amendments in Chapter 2, Clause 2.4.7 of the Affiliation Bye-Laws (e.g., Circular No. 12/2024 dated 12.08.2024, and related advisories).

2. Strong Advisory for NCERT/SCERT Books (Classes I to VIII)

For the lower classes, the directive is a strong advisory to ensure core curriculum alignment.

• Directive: Schools are advised to follow NCERT/SCERT textbooks. SCERT stands for the State Council of Educational Research and Training. This applies to Classes I to VIII.
• Supplementary Material: Schools may use supplementary material. It must be aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS). It must also align with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE).

3. Accountability for Private Publishers’ Books

To curb the forcing of costly private books, schools face strict penalties for any objectionable content in non-NCERT books.

• Mandate: Schools must exercise extreme care in the selection of books from private publishers. They must ensure there is no objectionable content that hurts the feelings of any class, community, gender, or religious group.
• Disclosure: Schools must publish a list of all prescribed books on their website. The Principal and Manager must include a written declaration that they sign. They take responsibility for the contents.
• Action: If a school prescribes a book with objectionable content, the school is responsible. The Board will initiate action.

4. Advisories Against Forcing Purchases

CBSE has consistently warned schools through advisories not to force parents to purchase additional textbooks or specific supplementary books. Schools must adhere to the Board’s guidelines.

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📜 Uttar Pradesh Government Orders (UP Board)

The Government of Uttar Pradesh has taken policy decisions through the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board). They aim to integrate NCERT books into its curriculum.

1. Mandatory NCERT for UP Board (Secondary Education)

The UP State Government made a landmark decision. They will replace textbooks meant for the UP Secondary Education Board with those published by NCERT. This change aligns its curriculum with the central standards (CBSE/NEET/JEE).

• Directive: NCERT textbooks became mandatory for all schools affiliated with the UP Board. This applies from Classes IX to XII starting from the academic session 2018-19.
• Exclusions: A few subjects like Krishi (Agriculture) and Vyavsayik (Business Studies) initially continued with UP Board textbooks. This was due to syllabus differences.

2. Streamlining Supply and Distribution

The UP Board wants to counter the issue of schools forcing private books. This is due to the lack of timely availability of affordable NCERT books. They have issued directives to improve the supply chain. The UP Board wants to ensure timely availability of NCERT books. This should reduce the dependency on private books. These directives aim to address supply chain gaps efficiently.

• Recent Mandate (October 2025): The UP Board instructs publishers to directly supply NCERT-based textbooks to all 75 districts to ensure that they are available in the market well before the academic session begins (e.g., by April 1st). This mandate seeks to prevent students from having to buy expensive, unauthorized alternatives.

These directives clearly establish the Government’s intent to use NCERT as the primary learning material. It will serve as standardized and cost-effective material in both CBSE and UP Board-affiliated schools.