Despite repeated assurances of improvements in government school education, a significant gap remains on the ground, with more than 11,000 students of Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools across Nagpur district yet to receive their textbooks. The delay persists even after more than half of the 2025–26 academic session has elapsed.
Nagpur district has over 1,500 Zilla Parishad schools with an enrolment exceeding 60,000 students. As per government norms, students from Classes I to VIII are entitled to free textbooks. However, education department sources indicate that the supply of books has not matched the actual student strength for the current academic year.
Official data shows that textbooks have not been provided to students across multiple grades, including Classes I to VIII. Although complete sets of textbooks were reportedly made available for 11,559 students in the district, a large number of students remain without essential learning material.
Officials said that despite the education department submitting supplementary demands to the government on time, the required textbooks had not been received even by January. In several schools, headmasters attempted to manage the situation by redistributing old textbooks, but these efforts fell short of meeting requirements.
Sources further revealed that when funds were sought for procuring books locally, schools were advised to approach local authorities. However, local bodies themselves reportedly do not have adequate stock, leaving schools with limited options.
The situation has raised concerns, especially as substantial funds are being spent on digital upgrades in Zilla Parishad schools, including smart TVs, tablets and new furniture, while students continue to struggle for basic textbooks necessary for classroom learning.
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