The new mathematics textbook introduced by the NCERT for Class VI is unavailable at bookstores in several states, badly affecting the studies of children already four months into the academic session.

The empanelled vendors of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and private bookstores in several states have yet to get the English version of the mathematics textbook — Ganita Prakash. Some vendors said they are yet to get the English versions of science and social sciences books.

This year, the NCERT introduced new books in Classes III and VI. Its books are followed by nearly 30,000 schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). It has published language books and English versions of textbooks of social sciences and mathematics for Class VI. In contrast, the science book has been published in English and Hindi. None of these books has been published in Urdu. For Class III, the mathematics book has been published in three languages while the book, Our Wondrous World, has been published in English and Hindi.

As of now, students of Class VI are managing with the old mathematics textbook but for the upcoming half-yearly examinations, questions may be set from the new book too.

Popular Book Store, an empanelled NCERT vendor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, on Monday said all books for Class III were available and for Class VI, only Hindi, English and Sanskrit textbooks were available. “The other books will be available in a week,” a salesperson said.

The situation at Cuttack in Odisha is slightly better. Jyoti Book Depot, an empanelled NCERT vendor, and Book Land, a private store, said all books for Class III and those of Class VI except mathematics were available.

The NCERT released the mathematics book for Class VI in the third week of August, four months after classes for the current academic session started, though other books were released by July. Sources said the members of a committee who were supposed to write the book had delayed the draft submission.

In Delhi, too, the new mathematics book is unavailable at several stores. Though the NCERT has uploaded the book on its website, schools, children and parents find hard copies convenient. “I visited several stores and did not find the mathematics book. One store suggested I visit the NCERT campus. I visited the NCERT’s sales counter and got the book,” said a parent.

Prince Ganjendra Babu, the general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu, who is spearheading a movement for school education reforms, said textbooks in hardcopy were essential for a child’s learning.

“In India, textbooks are considered the most important thing for learning. Access to online content is an issue and many find it inconvenient. The NCERT should have released the books before April. But it delayed the publishing of books by four months. This has badly affected the learning of children,” Babu said.

He said the NCERT’s delay has benefited private publishers to sell their books. “We see books of many private publishers for different classes. Because of the delay, schools ask children to buy private publishers’ books. We suspect the NCERT delayed its books to help the private publishers,” Babu said.