Pune: Questions Raised Over PMC’s ₹4.5 Crore Textbook Purchase Without Tender
Pune: Questions Raised Over PMC’s ₹4.5 Crore Textbook Purchase Without Tender
Pune, October 31, 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been making efforts to provide quality education to students in its civic schools. However, recent actions by the administration have sparked suspicions that financial interests may be taking precedence over students’ welfare.
With only a few months left in the current academic year, the PMC administration has reportedly planned to purchase supplementary and activity books worth ₹4.5 crore for students from Classes 2 to 5 — without following the mandatory tender process.
According to sources, the proposal appears to benefit a specific publisher. Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram had placed the proposal before the Standing Committee in its previous meeting, and a final decision was expected to be taken on Friday (October 31). The proposed purchase covers Marathi, Mathematics, English, Intelligence, and Computer subject activity books.
Critics argue that for years, funds for uniforms, notebooks, and school materials have been directly transferred to parents’ accounts to prevent irregularities and ensure timely access to resources. They questioned the timing of the new proposal, as the half-yearly exams have already concluded, leaving little academic benefit from these new books.
Furthermore, many such activity books are already available in the market at significant discounts. Reports suggest that PMC was also offered a 15–20% discount, raising doubts about whether this purchase serves students or merely benefits the publisher.
The administration claims the initiative aims to improve students’ learning outcomes and that negotiations will be held with publishers offering the highest discount. However, education experts argue that if the intent is truly academic enhancement, headmasters or subject experts could design similar workbooks internally and print them through PMC’s own press.
Vivek Velankar, President of Sajag Nagrik Manch, criticised the move, saying, “If the PMC wants to distribute activity books, it must do so through a proper tender process. Buying books without a tender is wrong and illegal.”
