Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson Girls School in Srinagar has informed parents that they are free to buy books, stationery, notebooks and school uniforms for the 2026-27 academic session from any shop of their choice. The school clarified that it is not affiliated with any particular vendor.
In a notice displayed on its website, the school said parents are under no obligation to purchase educational materials from any specific shop or supplier and may choose any outlet according to their preference.
The clarification comes amid growing concern among parents over the alleged practice of several private schools compelling families to buy prescribed books, stationery and uniforms from selected shops, leaving them with few choices and raising questions about pricing and transparency.
Parents have repeatedly said that being directed to particular vendors restricts competition and adds to the financial burden on families, particularly those with more than one child in school.
The notice has brought the issue of parents’ freedom to choose vendors into focus once again. While the school has expressly stated that it has no association with any particular shop, questions remain over whether other institutions follow the same approach.
In October, then Education Minister Sakina Itoo had warned private schools against forcing parents to buy books, uniforms and other educational materials from particular vendors. She had said a committee would examine complaints and that action would be taken against institutions found violating the rules.
Several parents who spoke to the news agency Kashmir News Trust alleged that some other schools still force families to buy stationery and uniforms from selected vendors.
The matter has been a recurring grievance each time a new session approaches. Parents say that when a school specifies a particular shop, prices can differ from the open market and that uniforms or books carrying school-specific branding leave families with no alternative. Schools, for their part, have sometimes argued that standard materials and uniform quality require a defined source, though critics say this can be achieved by publishing specifications rather than naming vendors.
Education experts say that transparency, such as publishing the list of required books and uniform specifications in advance, would allow parents to compare prices and make informed choices. The Biscoe-Mallinson notice is being seen by parents as a welcome step, and many hope that other institutions will follow and that the committee announced earlier will act on the complaints it receives.
