Private schools across India have turned education into an extortion racket and DNA’s investigation is forcing the system to respond.
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Twenty-four hours after we decoded how parents are being looted in the name of overpriced books, the fallout is nationwide. State governments are scrambling. Education ministries are waking up. And the country is watching.
The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the education department to form special teams and conduct raids on private schools. Madhya Pradesh has announced a statewide ‘Kitab Mela,’ a book fair, to make textbooks available to families at fair prices. The Delhi government has issued a clear directive: private schools cannot force students or parents to buy books or uniforms from specific vendors.
Even the Central Government has taken note, promising an inquiry into this organised loot network.
The numbers behind the uniform scam
But expensive books are only half the story. Uniforms are the other weapon.
India’s school uniform manufacturing sector is worth approximately Rs 72,000 crore. India ranks second in the global school uniform market and this market is growing at roughly 9% every year.
Here’s what families are actually spending:
– Small cities: Rs 2,000 – Rs 4,000 per student, per year
– Tier-2 cities like Patna, Lucknow, Bhopal, Jaipur: Rs 4,000 – Rs 8,000
– Metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai: Rs 8,000 – Rs 15,000
Now, here’s where your money actually goes. For every Rs 100 spent on a uniform:
– The manufacturer earns Rs 15 – Rs 25
– The retailer earns Rs 20 – RS 35
– But if the school ties you to a specific vendor? The profit margin shoots up to Rs 35-Rs 60 per Rs100
Schools print their logo on uniforms. They specify custom fabrics. All of it is engineered so you cannot buy from the open market, only from their authorised dealer. You spend the money. Their bank balance grows.
The legal loophole schools are exploiting
CBSE rules say that from Class 1 to 8, schools are advised, not mandated, to use NCERT books. From Class 9 to 12, NCERT is compulsory. There is, however, one exception: subjects where no NCERT book exists.
Private schools have turned this exception into a highway for loot. This is the backdoor through which Rs 50 NCERT books are replaced with Rs 500 private publisher books.
What you can do – Know your rights
If a school is forcing you to buy overpriced books or uniforms, here’s your legal escalation path:
File a written complaint with the school principal or manager. Demand a receipt.
If ignored, escalate to the District or Block Education Officer. States like UP also have a District Fee Regulatory Committee.
Still no response? Approach the State Education Department or the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
File a complaint directly with CBSE at its regional or central office.
Reach out to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights or submit a grievance on the PM Grievance Portal.
You can also file a Public Interest Litigation in court. The Delhi High Court had already issued a notice on such a PIL in 2025.
One critical warning: don’t complain alone. If a single parent speaks up, the school may retaliate against your child. Organise with other parents and act collectively.
What needs to change
CBSE must close the loophole. The exception that lets schools bypass NCERT books has become a tool for mass exploitation. Private publishers who want to charge more than NCERT prices should first prove their books are superior, prepared by scholars of equivalent or greater standing.
State education officials need to step out of their air-conditioned offices in April and actually inspect schools. There’s no excuse.
If they do just that much, five crore families in this country will keep more of what they earn and their children will get a better education.
Tomorrow’s DNA will take apart the uniform loot in full detail. If you’ve been overcharged for your child’s school uniform, send your story to 9310497453 on WhatsApp.
