Books conspicuous by absence at these schools
New Delhi: Months into the academic year, a persistent issue resurfaced in some of Delhi's govt schools: students were still without the free textbooks promised at the beginning of the session.
Despite a clear mandate under the Right to Education Act, 2009, that requires govt to provide free textbooks to all elementary-level students within the first week of the academic year, this delay in providing textbooks has become routine.
Year after year, the distribution of textbooks is either incomplete or postponed to the point of rendering them nearly ineffective.
In some cases, books arrive only towards the end of the academic term, severely disrupting the teaching and learning process.
Teachers report that even when books are delivered, they are often riddled with printing errors and produced on poor-quality paper, raising concerns about durability and readability.
"Already stretched thin by overcrowded classrooms and administrative responsibilities, we are forced to prepare supplementary study material to keep the lessons going," a Delhi govt school teacher said in northeast Delhi. This repeated delay has become a source of deep frustration for educators, students and parents, and continues to draw criticism from education activists.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Education advocate Ashok Agarwal raised the issue a few months ago in a social media post. He pointed out that students in several schools, including SKV and SBV at Zeenat Mahal, Kamla Market, were attending classes without books. "It is unfortunate that children in Class VII are being made to study without textbooks," he wrote. He also identified several localities still grappling with the problem, such as Khajoori Khas, Mandawali, Jafrabad Extension and Brahmpuri.
According to the principal of a boys' school in northeast Delhi, textbooks for many elementary classes remain unavailable even now.
This is far from a new problem. A survey conducted in 2016–17 across eight Delhi districts showed that govt school students often get books in phases, with delays of six to nine months. In east and northeast Delhi, mathematics and science textbooks arrive only by Sept, five months into the session.
Some Class VI and VIII students reportedly received key textbooks just days before final exams.
The issue reached Delhi High Court in 2024 when, during a hearing, the court questioned govt over the delays and noted that the first academic quarter had nearly passed without students receiving their books. It also pointed out the irony that despite govt bearing the cost of publishing and distributing these textbooks, the process remained so poorly managed.
While the directorate of education has not officially responded to questions about the delay, a representative of a govt teachers' association claimed that most schools received their books by the end of April, and that only a few gaps remained. However, accounts from teachers in the field contradict this optimistic assessment.
Educators continue to face the brunt of the problem. The absence of textbooks has added to their workload, forcing them to rely on worksheets. "Worksheets help, but they can't replace the structure and depth that textbooks provide," a teacher said. "We have to put in extra effort to make sure students don't fall behind."
What remains clear is that this is not merely a logistical oversight. It is a recurring failure with significant consequences for students.
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