Paper packets made out of blank pages meant for children to take notes

The idea, according to School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, was to reduce the burden of having to carry multiple textbooks to schools. The blank pages were added so that children will be able to take notes right after the lesson and need not carry separate notebooks for it.

Photos have emerged showing paper packets made from blank pages in the textbook.

“But now these blank pages are seen being used for a completely non-academic purpose,” said a teacher, who shared one of the photos. “The quality of these new textbooks has to be questioned. Just after these textbooks were distributed at the beginning of the academic year last month, pages started coming loose. Now the blank pages which are actually meant for children to take notes are seen being used as waste paper. Clearly students do not know the purpose of the pages,” said another teacher.

According to the teacher, irrespective of the quality of binding, pages from the new textbooks being used as wrapping paper is shocking as these textbooks were out only last month. A senior teacher and spokesperson for Maharashtra School Principals’ Association, Mahendra Ganpule said, “Balbharati definitely should check if the binding of all textbooks is of sub par quality or there are issues only in a certain lot. But most importantly, knowing that blank pages are thrown in waste indicates that there is still lack of awareness among teachers, students and parents about use of the blank pages.”

The initiative has been under a cloud ever since its announcement as it was criticised by many in the education sector stating that it is limiting students. Soon after the textbooks were ready and reached schools, within days the pages were seen coming loose. This led to many questioning the quality of binding of these new textbooks. Additionally, the new textbooks came sans QR codes, which allow children access to audio-visual or digital content related to the lesson.