Thiruvananthapuram: CBSE Thiruvananthapuram regional office has revoked the order directing schools to use only NCERT textbooks within days of issuing it.
The decision was following the intervention of CBSE headquarters. As per the new decision, the books of private booksellers can be used till Class VIII. The new decision was taken following the complaint submitted by a section of schools to CBSE headquarters. CBSE Regional Officer, Thiruvananthapuram, had created a monitoring mechanism for ensuring that CBSE Schools purchased only NCERT textbooks.
This was following reports received by the Regional Office here that some of the CBSE-affiliated schools were forcing students to buy books of private publishers.
Nearly 70 per cent to 80 per cent books in the schools in the state were being provided by wholesalers of private publishers. The whole set of books covering all subjects for CBSE schools range from over Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000. Interestingly, in most schools, the prices remained more or less the same for every class be it class X or primary classes.
While the average cost of each book recommended by the schools cost on an average Rs 100 to Rs 150, the average cost of each NCERT book ranges between Rs 50 -80 making it more easy to avail. However, one advantage with the books of private publishers were that they offered interactive material which makes learning a more comprehensive and holistic experience for the child. On the other hand, NCERT textbooks are plain and purely dealt with the subjects they covered, sources said.
