Srinagar, Feb 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) Wednesday assured that the textbook distribution across J&K is progressing smoothly, with fresh supply of textbooks arriving on a daily basis
Despite minor delays due to the shift in the academic calendar and temporary disruptions in printing, officials say 100 percent availability is expected within the next few weeks.
The distribution process follows a structured chain, beginning with JKBOSE, which supplies books to Chief Education Officers (CEOs) as per requisition while Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) and Principals are final distribution in their respective schools.
“So far, we have covered 87 out of 91 educational zones, including 45 winter zones of Kashmir division and 36 out of 45 winter zones in Jammu region, with 60 percent of the textbook titles already distributed,” a senior JKBOSE official told Rising Kashmir. “We are confident that all books will reach schools within the next few weeks.”
JKBOSE officials cited two primary reasons for the slight delay in textbook availability– change in academic calendar – with the academic session shifting from March-April to November-December, logistical adjustments were required in book printing and distribution.
“Printing presses in the National Capital Region (NCR) temporarily halted operations due to the Delhi elections, which caused a minor disruption in supply,” the official explained.
Despite these challenges, JKBOSE has continued to receive and distribute books daily.
To mitigate any inconvenience, JKBOSE has made textbook content available online, ensuring students have access to their study materials while physical copies are being distributed.
Officials said that senior functionaries of JKBOSE are personally overseeing the process and dismissed concerns about a shortage. “Since schools are currently closed for winter vacations, many students haven’t collected their books yet, leading to a false impression of scarcity,” he clarified. “The distribution is on track, and there is no cause for concern.”
Jammu and Kashmir’s education system has undergone significant transformations in recent years, with the adoption of NCERT-aligned textbooks. While these changes have required logistical adjustments, JKBOSE has assured that learning materials will be fully available within the next few weeks across J&K especially for the students of winter zones.
With the bulk of the books already distributed and the remainder arriving steadily, officials reiterated that students across J&K will have their textbooks well in time for the academic year.
