Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure that textbooks for Classes 8, 9 and 11 are made available in Kendriya Vidyalayas in the state ahead of the next academic year.

In a social media post, Sivankutty said that reports indicate delays in the distribution of Social Science textbooks for Class 8 as well as revised books for Classes 9 and 11. He termed the situation a serious lapse on the part of the Centre.

The minister, who is also contesting from the Nemom Assembly constituency as an LDF candidate, said the delay stood in contrast to the Kerala government’s efforts to distribute textbooks even before the close of the current academic session.

He also criticised the Centre over the delayed availability of updated books prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training, stating that the issue undermines claims of efficiency.

Sivankutty pointed out that institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, which are run by the central government, have also been affected by the delay.

Emphasising that access to free textbooks is a basic right of students, he said the slow pace of distribution could disrupt learning for children in the coming academic year.

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He urged the central authorities to take immediate steps to ensure that textbooks reach students without further delay.