Tirupati: Wait for Jr Inter textbooks continues

Tirupati: Though two weeks have passed since the reopening of junior colleges, the government is yet to supply textbooks to the students in the state. The government has failed to keep its promise of providing all textbooks on the first day of reopening.

With proper planning, the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) could have supplied the books well in advance to all districts. The Intermediate education was already in doldrums in the state after two successive years of Covid pandemic and other administrative issues like lack of regular faculty, regular principals. It may be noted that the state recorded a poor pass percentage in Inter examinations this year.

Yet, the apathy of BIE officials is continuing. As the admission process was delayed, its first phase will be completed by July 20 and by that time the junior Inter students should be given textbooks as assured by the government. Already, second year Inter students have been asking for the books and the faculty has been feeling the pinch.

It is learnt that in the erstwhile Chittoor district, though 1.09 lakh textbooks are required for students, so far not a single book has come. In the newly-formed Tirupati district, an estimated 40,000 books may be needed for nearly 8,000 students in government colleges alone. Even the students of private junior colleges have not got their textbooks yet.

About 10,000 textbooks were supplied to students so far in the combined Chittoor district out of the closing stock of the previous year. Of them, about 4,000 were distributed in Tirupati district. The faculty was of the view that books may not come before mid-August. This will pose a problem in completing the syllabus.

Textbooks are very important, especially for science students who aspire to crack IIT, NEET and Eamcet. From day one, they have to focus on textbooks instead of other study material to get good scoring. In view of the problem, the faculty have been requesting the students who completed Intermediate and coming for Transfer Certificates to handover their books to the college, so that they can be given to the present students.

Speaking to The Hans India, Tirupati district vocational educational officer (DVEO) A Swarnalatha said that they have already submitted the indents and are waiting for the textbooks. A few leftover books from previous year were distributed now and they were awaiting the new books which are expected by this month-end