Class 6 NCERT Textbooks Delay: Schools Resort to Bridge Courses and Old Materials

Delhi students await new NCERT textbooks post-summer, facing delays due to NCF-SE 2023. Classes 3 and 6 lack physical copies for key subjects, relying on old books and digital versions.

on Jul 09, 2024

Class 6 NCERT Textbooks Delay: Schools Resort to Bridge Courses and Old Materials

As the academic session resumed post-summer vacations, many students in Delhi are still awaiting the arrival of their new NCERT textbooks. A Class VI student from Kendriya Vidyalaya NFC Vigyan Vihar, standing outside Dhingra Pustak Bhandar in Jhilmil Colony, faced disappointment once again as the bookstore owner informed her that the textbooks were still unavailable.
The new NCERT textbooks for Classes 3 and 6, developed under the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE 2023) and the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, have yet to reach schools. Currently, physical or digital copies for subjects like Mathematics, Science, and Social Science for Class 6 are unavailable. Only Hindi, English, and Urdu digital versions are accessible. Class 3 students are also facing a shortage, with no physical copies of the Environmental Studies textbook available.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently reviewed the progress of NCERT textbook development, assuring that new textbooks would be introduced soon. Nine textbooks for Grades 3 and 6 are available, with the remaining eight expected shortly.
The delay has prompted schools to rely on old NCERT books and bridge programs. In March, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced a ‘Bridge Month Programme’ (BMP) for Class 6, offering a week-wise timetable and activity plan to help transition to the new syllabus. ITL Public School Principal Sudha Acharya highlighted the importance of the bridge course but expressed concerns over the looming half-yearly exams and the continued use of old syllabus materials.
Amidst the uncertainty, schools like The Indian School and Bal Bharati Public School are making do with soft copies of the new textbooks and old editions. At tuition centers, educators face challenges as printing costs for soft copy materials add to parents' burdens.
Principals and teachers across Delhi are eagerly awaiting the new textbooks, striving to adapt and ensure that their students continue to receive quality education despite the delays.