Late & less: free books arrive in schools

Jamshedpur, Dec. 20: The state’s drive to distribute free books among government schoolchildren has left the school authorities asking for more.

Students from Class I to VIII are given free books to encourage education. With the academic session nearing completion in April 2007, the state managed to distribute 80 per cent books last week to students and hope to complete the process in the next six days .

However, school authorities have claimed that the number of books is falling short of the total student strength. Headmaster of M.L Rungta Inter College, Chaibasa, Ashok Kr Singh, said only 400 books for 600 students in each class were received. “There is a discrepancy in the distribution system. Te distribution can only finish by January end,” said Singh.

The Narshigarh High School, East Singhbhum, received 150 books in all subjects for 350 students in each class. “We have thought of keeping back the books for the next batch,” said the headmaster, Buddheswar Mahato.

Secretary of state HRD department R.S. Sharma blamed school authorities. “We carried out a survey to find out the number of students and accordingly distributed books. School authorities are to be blamed as the books must have been lost in the middle,” said Sharma.