New Delhi: The syllabus has moved ahead, but some Delhi govt school students are still waiting for the books to catch up.
Its phased revision under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 emphasises conceptual understanding, critical thinking and activity-based learning, according to NCERT. The principal also reported acute shortages of Class VIII textbooks, ‘Kaushal Bodh’ and ‘Khel Yatra’, along with those of Class VII social science, affecting studies and timely completion of the curriculum.
Nearly seven months into the academic session, textbooks for some subjects are still unavailable or in short supply, according to school heads and teachers, who say changes to NCERT books have added to the problem. “That option is no longer available because the syllabus has been revised,” said a govt school teacher. The switch disrupted continuity of the syllabus and left teachers and students uncertain about how to proceed, the principal said, seeking clear guidelines on changes in textbooks. The head of a govt school in west Delhi said uncertainty over prescribed titles has complicated matters. An education department official said the transition required coordination over prescribed titles, supply and distribution.
A principal cited the introduction of ‘Irawati’, the Class IX Sanskrit textbook, well into this session, after teachers already taught ‘Sharda’ till around the midpoint. Social science textbooks reached the school only around Sept. “The syllabus has changed completely, so we cannot teach from the old books. Vocational education has become a separate curricular area from Class VI. “The department will assess pending requirements across classes, subjects and mediums and coordinate with agencies concerned to address shortages. Schools will be given clarification wherever there is uncertainty over prescribed textbooks. Ensuring that every student receives the required learning material remains our priority. ”
Earlier, schools could tide over such shortages with textbooks collected from outgoing batches.