Coronavirus Lockdown 3.0: Tripura to give 14,00 free text books to bengali medium students

Tripura's BJP-IPFT government has announced that it will distribute free textbooks, translated from the NCERT curriculum, to more than 14,000 students who are studying in the private Bengali medium school in the state.

Tripura's BJP-IPFT government has announced that it will distribute free textbooks, translated from the NCERT curriculum, to more than 14,000 students who are studying in the private Bengali medium school in the state.

While making the announcement, Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that the decision has been taken to help students studying in 73 private Bengali medium schools who are facing trouble due to coronavirus outbreak.

Tripura has a demand of 25,37,107 textbooks between class 1 and class 8 in government and government-aided schools.

The state government in 2020 had placed an order for 26,25,865 books, out of which 25,39,715 has been received. The government has distributed nearly 25 lakh books to public schools through inspectors of schools; around 37,000 units are still pending distribution.

“The department got the NCERT textbooks translated into Bengali from class 1-12 by assigning our teachers to the job after our government assumed office. Usually, these books are purchased by private Bengali medium schools. The department has decided to give these for free this year due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown situation”, the minister informed.

He added that many of these school authorities requested the state government to provide books during lockdown crises, following which the decision was taken.

Those schools who have already purchased the textbooks from the government will be paid back through State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), he said.h said.

On why private English medium schools are not being extended the same courtesy, the education minister said many of them have adopted NCERT curriculum but do not use textbooks prescribed by them, rendering Tripura’s books redundant.

Read More:

• Tripura govt to introduce vocational courses in 55 schools to make students independent

• Coronavirus Lockdown: Tripura to start neighbourhood classes