Students procure forms for distant education in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 14: The Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE)’s experimental move to introduce distance education programme last year for Plus Two students seems to have fallen flat.

Around 1,300 students who had enrolled for this two-year programme covering Arts (without practical) and Commerce subjects have been left dissatisfied since they have not been provided with the study material yet.

“I don’t know if the fault lies with the council or the press but ultimately it is the students who have to bear the brunt of it.

“We were told that there would not be any examination in the first year and so the lack of books would not make a big difference. But what if we do not get the study material in time in the second year?” said a student on condition of anonymity.

Nihar Ranjan Pattnaik, chairman, Council of Higher Secondary Education, said the manuscript for the study material had already been given to the textbook bureau under the higher education department last September.

“We have sent them three reminders in between, the last one being 10-12 days ago.

“They said the material for education, economics and political science will be delivered by the end of this month and the rest by mid-April,” said Pattnaik.

Earlier, the manuscript used to be in English but now the press has been directed to publish the study material in Oriya for the convenience of students.

“Every unit of a subject is being written by a different author.

“Even if one author sends his piece late, the entire compilation process is delayed,” the chairman said.

“The programme was introduced on a trial basis and the council will ensure that such problems do not crop up for the next batch of students,” he added.