Wait gets longer for Class X, XII books

Bookstores across the city are flooded with parents and students with requests for Cass X and XII books under the revamped syllabus. However, Balbharati - the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research - says that the publications would reach the market only by the end of this month.

A worker unloading a truck of newly printed books at a Balbharati depot. SSC and HSC students are still waiting for textbooks of subjects such as English, Marathi, Hindi and Social Sciences to reach bookstores. File pic

Zoher Yusuf Golwala, owner of a book depot in South Mumbai, said, "The Class X and XII syllabus, which was changed last year, had many printing errors and we are still waiting for the corrected textbooks to come in." Golwala added that he got a letter from Balbharati saying that the textbooks will arrive soon, but without specifying a date.

However, director in-charge of Balbharati, GK Mhamane, said, "The books will reach stores by the end of this month. Printing has already begun." Currently, textbooks of mathematics and science are available to students who have already started preparing for the 2014 examinations. Many, who have joined coaching classes and are attending extra classes in schools, are getting concerned, as they are unable to start studies in full swing until all textbooks reach the market.

Manjur Ahmed, president of Headmasters Association of Greater Mumbai, said, "Many schools and coaching centres have started tutoring for class next year's X and XII exams. With only mathematics and science textbooks available, they will have to wait before commencing classes for other subjects. Even training books for teachers with the changed syllabus are yet to reach them."