Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently chaired a crucial meeting to assess the advancement in developing school textbooks aligned with the New Curriculum Framework (NCF). The focus of the meeting, held on Thursday, included addressing the delay in releasing Class-6 textbooks, originally slated for April, which are still pending release.

The National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) had previously announced plans to introduce new textbooks for Classes 3 and 6 starting from the academic session 2024-25. According to a senior Ministry of Education (MoE) official quoted by PTI, “For the academic year 2024-25, new and engaging textbooks will be introduced in Classes 3 and 6. The textbook development work is in the final phase, with nine textbooks for Grades 3 and 6 already available. The remaining eight will be available very soon.”

Initially scheduled for release this year, the new textbooks for Class 3 are already available in the market. However, textbooks for Class 6 have faced delays, prompting the NCERT to launch new English and Hindi textbooks for this grade just this week, amidst the ongoing academic session. Meanwhile, preparations continue for textbooks in subjects such as social science, science, and mathematics, with schools advised to implement bridge programs for Class 6 students until these resources are ready.

Highlighting the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, an official emphasized, “The NEP 2020 aims at providing economically-priced, high-quality textbooks to make learning joyful and stress-free for better learning outcomes. The NCERT is constructing new textbooks for Classes 1 to 12 to fully realize the provisions of the National Education Policy.”

During the meeting, Minister Dharmendra Pradhan conducted a comprehensive review of the NCERT’s textbook development progress, alongside discussions with the school education secretary, NCERT director, and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) chairman. The focus remains on ensuring timely availability of updated textbooks that align with the evolving educational framework, enhancing educational standards across schools nationwide.

As the NCERT continues to finalize and distribute textbooks under the NCF 2023 guidelines, stakeholders in education, including teachers, parents, and students, are encouraged to stay informed about these developments. The effective implementation of revised textbooks aims to enrich the learning experience, fostering a comprehensive and holistic approach to education from primary to secondary levels.