Parents allege shortage of JKBOSE prescribed books

Srinagar, April 18: Despite the start of a new academic session, students attending private schools are facing difficulties in purchasing books prescribed by JKBOSE due to shortage in the markets.
Zahida Manzoor, one of the parents from Srinagar city, said,“I approached my book sellers to purchase the text books for my children. Due to a shortage of the many textbooks prescribed by the JKBOSE, I could not purchase all the textbooks for the children,” she said.
Imran Latief, another parent from Kupwara district, said that students studying in private schools are unable to buy textbooks from the markets because the book sellers do not have the required texts for all classes in the district. As a result, students are facing difficulties studying both at school and at home.
He said that JKBOSE should ensure the distribution of textbooks to book sellers throughout Jammu and Kashmir. “This way, parents can easily purchase all necessary books from the markets, thereby minimising the impact on students’ education in schools.”
The Kashmir Book Sellers and Stationery Association has reported a continued scarcity of certain textbooks for various classes as per the JKBOSE curriculum. The JKBOSE has failed to supply all required books for every class to the book sellers in the Kashmir valley, hindering parents from directly purchasing all necessary books for their children.
In 2023, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) directed affiliated private schools in the Union Territories of JK and Ladakh, mandating the implementation of its prescribed curriculum and textbooks from the ensuing academic session for all classes.
According to Sudhir Singh, the Director of Academics at JKBOSE, there is an ample supply of textbooks in the markets of Jammu and Kashmir. “The JKBOSE has ensured that the booksellers in every district of Jammu and Kashmir have received a proper supply of textbooks.”
Singh said that although there may be a temporary shortage of specific books, like the English book for the first grade and the environmental science book for the third and fourth grades, these books will be made available in the markets within a few days. The supply of these textbooks is expected to arrive within two days.
“In the government schools, the textbooks have been provided free of charge to students from first grade to eighth grade. We have already provided all the textbooks to all the government schools in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Director Academics said that they are also going to upload the soft copies of the text books of all classes onto the official website of the JKBOSE, through which teachers and students can also download the soft copies of the text books from the official website.