DK receives 60% of textbooks for new academic year

Mangaluru: With just two weeks left till the start of the new academic year, Dakshina Kannada, which is gearing up for the reopening of schools, has received about 60% of its textbook supply. The govt supplies textbooks free of charge to govt and aided schools, and at a fixed price to unaided schools.

According to officials, this year, 35.4 lakh textbooks are required for Dakshina Kannada, out of which over 20 lakh books were supplied to date. The textbooks are supplied to nearly three lakh students in the district. The department will start first phase of distribution from next week.

Govinda Madivala, DDPI, Dakshina Kannada, said that compared to previous academic years, the textbook supply was early. This is because there are no revisions in the textbooks. "We are expecting the complete supply of textbooks by the end of this month, which is also the beginning of the new academic year," he said.

In Bantwal, there is the highest demand of 7.6 lakh textbooks, followed by Mangaluru North with 6.2 lakh, Mangaluru South with 6.2 lakh, Belthangady with 5 lakh, Puttur with 5.8 lakh, and Moodbidri with 2.1 lakh. "Currently, books are stored in the warehouse. From grades VI to X, there are three core subjects, three language subjects, and physical education, totalling seven subjects. There are 14 titles of books, and for grades one to five, there are four subjects with eight titles supplied. A significant number of books for classes 8 to 10, totalling seven titles, were supplied. The pending textbooks are expected to arrive within a week or two," said an official in charge of the textbook supply.