NCERT textbook shortage hits students as new academic session begins

NCERT is facing a major textbook shortage, having printed only about half of the 15 crore books planned for the 2026-27 session. The delay has left students without new books a month after the academic year began, raising new concerns.

NCERT Faces Textbook Supply Gap

Even as the academic session began over a month ago, NCERT is running against time to bridge the demand-supply gap for its textbooks, with only just over half of the planned books printed so far. NCERT, which has rolled out revised textbooks for Classes 3 to 9 under the new curriculum framework, had planned to print nearly 15 crore books for the 2026-27 academic session. However, only around 7 to 8 crore copies have been printed till now, officials confirmed.

Responding to the query about the demand and supply gap, a senior official in the Ministry of Education said, "We hope in the month of May we will be able to print as many books. NCERT has planned to print about 15 crore books They have printed about 7-8 crore books." The officials also confirmed that NCERT will be able to meet the supply gap by the end. The delay has left many students without access to the new textbooks, even though the academic session commenced on April 1.

Concerns Over Costly Private Publisher Books

On being asked how students are coping with the absence of revised books, the officials said, "There are previous years' books and students are studying them." Apart from delays in availability, concerns are also mounting over the increasing dependence of private schools on costlier books published by private publishers, placing an additional financial burden on parents.

There are allegations that private schools are pushing for private publishers' books. National Human Rights Commission member Priyank Kanoongo also alleged that an "education mafia" was attempting to derail a government push for affordable schoolbooks. In a post on X, Kanoongo said he had directed state governments to ensure the use of affordable NCERT and SCERT books in place of expensive private publisher books in private schools. He said the move has been taken under the powers of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, within the framework of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Responding to these complaints, the senior official said CBSE has urged the private schools to use NCERT books. (ANI)

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