Uttar Pradesh students face delay in new textbooks availability

Students in Uttar Pradesh are facing a delay in receiving their new textbooks for the upcoming academic year. The new session is set to begin on April 1, 2025, but more than 1 crore students in classes 9 to 12 will have to wait until late June or early July for the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books to be available. The UP Board uses republished versions of NCERT textbooks, which are cheaper than alternatives. Many students prefer these books because they are more affordable. The process of getting these books ready for the new session has been slow. Although the UP Board issued tenders for some subjects on March 12, officials are still waiting for the state government’s permission to proceed with others. Director Mahendra Dev has been seeking approval from the state government since October 2024. Officials expect to receive this permission by the end of March, after which they can begin printing. The entire process, including bidding and publishing, is expected to take around three months. In previous years, textbooks have also only been available by July. This delay causes students to purchase more expensive books from unauthorized publishers right after the session begins. Teachers encourage students to buy their textbooks quickly, leading to added financial pressure on families. Some educators are frustrated by the ongoing delays in textbook availability, stressing that the problem needs to be addressed to reduce the burden on parents and students alike.