Syllabus changed, books missing, students forced to study through PDFs: When will NCERT wake up to the ground reality?

NCERT’s textbook mess is taking a heavy toll on students. Nearly two months have passed since the new academic session began, summer vacations are already underway, yet there is still no certainty over the availability of textbooks, especially for Class 9 students. While the books are available in PDF format digitally, the syllabus has undergone major changes this year. As a result, studies that should have properly begun in April are yet to take off. Even school bookshops are unable to confirm when the printed books will arrive. The situation is reportedly even worse in Kendriya Vidyalayas and other government schools. Students are frustrated, teachers are anxious, and parents, after understanding the extent of the chaos, are blaming the entire system. Parents are asking why the books were not printed in advance if the syllabus changes had already been finalised. If NCERT was unable to ensure timely printing, why was there a need to implement the new syllabus this year itself? Many are also questioning the sudden imposition of the three-language formula in Class 9. Students are already under pressure, and parents wonder how they are expected to manage additional academic burdens without adequate preparation or resources. Teachers worried over the uncertainty surrounding textbooks Ms Shivani (name changed), a science teacher at a reputed school in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, expressed concern over the delay in textbooks after the revised Class 9 syllabus was introduced. According to her, schools have received no clear information regarding when the books will finally become available. “Unfortunately, this has become a recurring problem. The academic session begins in April, yet textbooks often remain unavailable for months. With the implementation of the three-language formula, Class 9 students are now expected to study a third language as well, but even the required textbooks for these courses are missing,” she said. She added that the situation is worrying both as a teacher and as a parent of CBSE students. Such delays create uncertainty for schools, teachers, students and parents alike. More importantly, she believes the situation exposes a lack of preparedness, continuity and planning in the system. Educational reforms and curriculum changes, she argued, require timely planning, proper resources and an effective implementation strategy so that students’ education does not suffer. Seema (name changed), a social science teacher at a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi-NCR, said Class 9 social science has undergone major changes this year. Teachers are now forced to teach students through PDFs because students do not have printed books in classrooms. She explained that teachers have asked students to print copies of the PDFs to follow lessons properly. Meanwhile, summer vacations have already begun, and there is still no sign of the books.”Examinations will also begin soon. What exactly are teachers supposed to do?” she asked. After Advanced Maths, Advanced Science enters Class 9 This year, Advanced Science has been introduced alongside Advanced Mathematics in Class 9. In 2024, CBSE schools introduced Advanced Mathematics, but NCERT has still not released a dedicated textbook for it. Even if such books were printed, they never reached students in most places. As a result, teachers continue using the standard mathematics textbook. Slightly difficult questions are labelled as “advanced maths”, while easier ones are treated as “basic maths”. Critics argue that this creates confusion within the same classroom, where some students attempt advanced-level problems while others study the basic curriculum. Now, a similar model is being introduced for science. Students planning to pursue science in higher classes are expected to take Advanced Mathematics and Advanced Science, while students intending to opt for humanities or commerce are not required to focus as heavily on science subjects. Critics question the logic of introducing such segregation from Class 9 itself when these distinctions naturally emerge in Class 11. Even students who received books are struggling Akshara, a Class 9 student studying at DPS Noida, said she finally received some books two or three days ago, but the social science textbook is still unavailable. She explained that her school has long used separate mathematics books anyway, but the NCERT science book has completely changed. “Earlier, the first chapter in maths used to be Number System, but now it starts with Geometry. Earlier, there were more calculation-based questions, but now language-based questions have increased. Even in mathematics, it feels like understanding the language is becoming more important. It is becoming difficult to understand,” she said. She added that the science book also feels significantly tougher and requires much deeper conceptual understanding. According to her, only students genuinely interested in science may be able to cope with the new structure independently. Riyana, a student from Somerville School, Delhi, said she has not received any textbooks yet. According to her, school bookshops repeatedly tell students they have no information about when the books will arrive. Teachers have been sending PDFs and asking students to print them. “We somehow managed studies in April through PDFs. Teachers themselves remain stressed. Students are frustrated because there are no books. Even our Term 1 exams have already happened,” she said. When local booksellers inside school campuses were contacted, they admitted they had no idea when the textbooks would arrive. Since summer vacations are ongoing, students may now have to wait until schools reopen in July to know whether books will finally become available. However, a bookseller at Uttarakhand Book Shop in Kondli claimed that most books are now available except the Class 9 social science textbook. He also said books for Advanced Mathematics and Advanced Science are expected in the market soon. Three-language policy adding to pressure While students continue struggling with unavailable textbooks, the mandatory three-language policy introduced in Class 9 this year has become another source of stress. Students are now expected to study a mother tongue, a regional language and a foreign language. In many schools, this effectively means Hindi, Sanskrit and English are being taught together, while foreign languages such as German, French and Spanish are being phased out. Teachers associated with those languages are also reportedly losing jobs. Alpana Rai, mother of a Class 10 student studying at DAV School Ghaziabad and also a tutor herself, said students only received books a few days ago. She pointed out several shortcomings in the new books. “The science syllabus is extremely vast and difficult for children to understand independently. Even teachers will have to study deeply before teaching it. Mathematics is similar. The social science book is still unavailable. Since April, students have had no books. The syllabus changed, yet books were unavailable. What is a child supposed to do?” she asked. She stressed that Class 9 forms the foundation for students’ future education, making such negligence deeply concerning. In her view, the compulsory three-language formula is adding further burden on children. Jasmine Tirkey, mother of a student studying at Somerville School Noida, said she opposed the mandatory three-language policy before the school administration. She explained that parents had already purchased old textbooks from schools in April because those books were still being sold then. Now, after the syllabus change, parents are being forced to buy new books again, resulting in double expenditure. However, she clarified that she does not oppose syllabus revisions themselves. “Curriculum should evolve with changing times. But once the syllabus changes, textbooks must also be available on time. Otherwise, students depend entirely on PDFs. Our attempts to keep children away from excessive mobile usage become meaningless,” she said. According to her, reforms should be implemented only after proper planning. “Changes are welcome, but not at the cost of disrupting students’ academic continuity. If the changes were implemented next year instead, textbooks would have been available, and students would have been better prepared,” she added. The problem is not limited to Class 9 This crisis is not limited to Class 9 students. In 2025, the syllabus for Classes 4 to 8 was also revised, and students faced similar textbook shortages for months. Some Class 5 and Class 8 students reportedly waited until June to receive books. Despite this previous experience, critics argue that NCERT learned no lessons and again failed to ensure textbook availability after revising the Class 9 syllabus in 2026. Once again, students are dependent on PDFs and teachers’ handwritten notes. Observers also raise concerns about rural students. How will students in villages or small towns access PDF files? Do they even have stable internet access? Another criticism is that English-medium textbooks often reach markets earlier, while Hindi-medium books arrive much later, leading to allegations of inequality. Beware of fake textbooks Another issue complicating matters further is the widespread use of expensive private publisher books in private schools. Parents are often pressured into purchasing these books. The National Human Rights Commission has reportedly issued notices to state governments asking why schools force parents to buy costly private books when NCERT books are available at lower prices. However, even the availability of NCERT textbooks remains questionable. Because of the shortage, fake NCERT books have flooded markets in several places. Demand for textbooks remains extremely high while supply fails to keep pace. As a result, counterfeit and pirated book rackets have become active. These books are printed on poor-quality paper, use low-quality ink and often lack official logos, adversely affecting both students’ studies and eyesight. In 2020 alone, fake textbook sales worth nearly Rs 5.64 crore were reported in Meerut and nearby areas. In 2025, authorities in Delhi’s Shahdara busted another fake textbook racket and seized more than 1.7 lakh counterfeit books worth approximately Rs 2.4 crore. The larger point, critics argue, is that students and parents must now remain cautious not only about textbook shortages but also about fake textbooks thriving because of the shortage. NCERT textbook controversies and revisions NCERT has already faced multiple controversies over textbook revisions in recent years. A major controversy erupted after a Class 8 social science book included references to “corruption in the judiciary.” The Supreme Court strongly objected to the content, calling it damaging to the institution’s dignity. NCERT later apologised and withdrew the book from the market. Another controversy arose when a Class 8 social science textbook showed several Rajput princely states, such as Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Bundi, as part of the Maratha Empire in a 1759 map. Following criticism, NCERT admitted it had made a serious mistake and acknowledged that the map lacked any valid historical source. Opposition parties also protested after chapters related to the Mughal Empire and Delhi Sultanate were removed from Class 7 and Class 12 textbooks. NCERT later expressed regret over the removal of certain portions related to the freedom struggle and promised corrections in future academic sessions. During the Covid period, NCERT also removed Darwin’s theory of evolution and the periodic table from the Class 10 curriculum, triggering criticism from educationists. NCERT later clarified that these topics had not been entirely removed but shifted to the more detailed science curriculum of Classes 11 and 12. Environmental chapters such as Sources of Energy and Management of Natural Resources were also removed, attracting further criticism. Overall, critics argue that NCERT urgently needs a more robust strategy both for curriculum revision and textbook distribution. Students have been facing textbook shortages for years. The question being repeatedly asked is simple: why are textbooks printed in insufficient quantities, despite knowing this leads to black market and counterfeit books? When books themselves are unavailable in the market, what are students expected to do? Their studies suffer, learning gaps emerge and motivation declines. Schools often appear helpless. Critics say the situation is even more worrying for students in villages who are trying to study without proper books, stable internet access or clarity regarding the syllabus.