‘JKBOSE faces annual shortfall of Rs 12 Cr in textbook procurement’

Srinagar, Oct 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) faces a shortfall of around Rs 12 crore every year for procuring textbooks for free distribution to government school students up to class 8. The issue has come to light ahead of the new academic session, likely to begin next month.

Addressing media at the JKBOSE office in Bemina, Secretary Board Ghulam Hassan Sheikh said the Board receives Rs 250 per student from Samagra Shiksha for textbooks up to class 5 and Rs 400 for students of classes 6 to 8.

“But despite austerity measures, one set of textbooks up to class 5 costs Rs 400, while a set for classes 6 to 8 costs between Rs 800 and Rs 870. This results in a yearly shortfall of roughly Rs 12 crore for free textbook distribution,” Sheikh said.

He added that JKBOSE does not receive any government grants and relies on fees and registration charges to run the organization. Over the years, the accumulated liability has reached Rs 163 crore.

Sheikh also highlighted the issue of non-availability of textbooks in regional languages. “The problem is not just with Kashmiri textbooks. Textbooks of other regional languages are also unavailable beyond class 2. We rely on district CEOs to provide funds for these textbooks, but even that has been inconsistent over the last two years, sometimes receiving only 30–40 percent of the allotted grants,” he said.

The Secretary said the matter has been taken up with the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu. “These funds are due to us; we are not asking for charity. They are meant to ensure students receive proper textbooks,” he said.

Regarding the upcoming academic session, Sheikh assured that all free textbooks will be distributed before schools begin their winter vacation. “Last year, distribution was delayed due to changes in the academic calendar, but this year we aim to complete it by the end of November,” he said.

On other issues, Sheikh said a committee has been constituted to examine the pros and cons of doing away with class 11 board exams. “The committee will submit its report, and decisions will be taken accordingly. Historically, it has been observed that removing the class 11 exam lowers the pass percentage in class 12,” he said.

Sheikh concluded by emphasizing that the Board is actively exploring ways to resolve the regional language textbook shortage for students beyond class 2, though he cautioned that a solution will depend on available resources.