Chandigarh: Schools set to reopen, but NCERT Class 6 textbooks still not available

Ideally, the books for Class 6 had to be made available in April; later, it was anticipated that these would arrive in May

Months after the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) changed the syllabus for a few graders, Class 6 books for the new session are still not available in the city even as schools are set to reopen from July 1. The books are unlikely to arrive before the second week of July.

UT school education director Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said, “We are doing our best. The books will be provided as soon as these are published.” (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Major bookstores in Sectors 19 and 22 have confirmed that the new NCERT books are not there.

The NCERT had even designed a bridge course for Class 6 which was uploaded to the NCERT portal before the summer vacations. Ideally, the books had to be made available in April. Later, it was anticipated that these would arrive in May. A government schoolteacher said teachers were unsure what to do with Class 6 students now as the bridge course had been completed and there was still no clarity on when the new books will arrive.

UT school education director Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said, “We are doing our best. The books will be provided as soon as these are published.”

As per education officials, the NCERT has informed the department that it will take till the second week of July for the books to reach the market.

Parents and students are also worried. A parent said he would be willing to purchase even the older NCERT book so that his son doesn’t feel left out in school as some other students have already purchased the limited stock of books. With term papers approaching in September, students will be left with lesser time to prepare.

The NCERT had changed the syllabus for Class 3 students as well for which the textbooks are now available in major bookstores. “Overall, it is expected that there will be a delay of about a week. The online version of the books can be used by the teachers,” officials said.

Online launch on July 3

The Class 6 books will be launched online on July 3. Officials say the NCERT has informed the education department that the books will reach markets by the second week of July.

The NCERT had changed the syllabus for a few classes. The books for other classes were made available but the process got delayed for Class 6.