Raipur:
In Chhattisgarh, schools open in April. However, it seems the Education Department prefers surprise tests, not just for students but for parents too.
On June 25, Raipur’s District Education Officer issued an eight-point directive, catching schools and parents off-guard. By this time, most students had already completed two months of their academic session. Many parents had bought books worth thousands in April, only to now be told: “Wait, the government will distribute free books.”
“I bought books worth Rs 10,000 for my three daughters because schools reopened in April,” says Dhalendra Sahu, a small trader from Raipur. “Now, if the syllabus changes, we’ll suffer. Almost 70 per cent people will face problems. We don’t earn enough to buy books twice.”
Mr Sahu, who earns Rs 25,000 to Rs 28,000 a month from agriculture, has three daughters – one each in Class 8, 3, and nursery. Like many parents, he trusted the schools’ word and got the books early. Now, the government’s order feels like an afterthought – like it, too, came back from a long summer break.
The June 25 order left private schools scrambling. While books hadn’t arrived, the department suggested they should wait. Rajiv Gupta, president of the Private School Association, says they had no choice but to move ahead with private publishers.
“Schools reopened on June 16. It’s been 15 days and we haven’t received books,” says Mr Gupta. “There are over 800 schools and two lakh students in Raipur alone. If the distribution begins on July 1, books won’t reach all students before July 20.”
The Education Department’s move seems well-intentioned on paper. But when students are midway through their syllabus, and books are nowhere in sight, parents ask – is this about learning or about logistics?
The issue has taken a political turn.
The Congress accuses the Education Department of colluding with private schools. Their charge: the delay in SCERT book distribution benefits private publishers.
“Due to corrupt officials and the private school lobby, free books meant for lakhs of students haven’t been given,” says Congress spokesperson Vikas Tiwari. “Parents are being misled in the name of CBSE.”
The ruling BJP has a different take. While acknowledging the delay, they call it an educational “experiment”.
“This is part of a review process to improve education quality,” says BJP spokesperson Gaurishankar Shrivas. “Yes, there’s been a delay, and not all schools fall under the directive. The department will review and take appropriate steps.”
At the heart of the issue lies a simple question: was this order really for the students’ benefit or just to decorate files? In an ideal world, children study from books, not from bureaucratic guidelines. But in Chhattisgarh this year, books seem to come only after orders – and that too, not before July.
