Chandigarh government schools went on summer vacation on May 23, nearly two months after the academic session began on April 1. The term ended with several unresolved issues, including missing Class IX textbooks, disruption in skill classes, and uncertainty over contractual staff who are central to student support systems.
Missing Textbooks and Disrupted Classes
Class IX students have yet to receive hard copies of revised NCERT textbooks introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Curriculum Framework (NCF). Teachers reported that many schools relied on photocopies, shared materials, and digital PDFs as physical books did not arrive before the break. Although NCERT uploaded digital versions for most subjects, social science (SST) content remained unavailable or incomplete in many cases, affecting classroom instruction. This delay is significant because the administration expanded free textbook distribution to students of Classes IX to XII this year.
Vocational Education Impacted
Skill education, emphasized under CBSE’s vocational framework, was disrupted due to delays in renewing contracts for nearly 200 vocational teachers. These teachers are engaged on yearly agreements, and the delay affected instruction in subjects such as information technology, retail, beauty and wellness, marketing, artificial intelligence, and employability skills.
Concerns Over Student Wellness Infrastructure
Under Project SAATHI, school counsellors continue to work through outsourced contracts, even as revised CBSE affiliation norms stress the need for full-time counselling support. Issues such as unpaid vacation periods and continuity of engagement were flagged, raising concerns about the alignment between institutional expectations and employment conditions.
Administrative Challenges
Teachers noted that the opening weeks of the academic year, crucial for foundational learning and adjustment to new curriculum material, were spent managing shortages and administrative issues rather than regular teaching. Education department officials maintained that several issues, particularly textbook supply, were transitional and linked to phased rollout and curriculum changes.
Looking Ahead
With schools now closed for summer, attention will shift to whether these gaps are addressed before reopening. For many teachers and parents, the expectation is that schools resume with textbooks available, classrooms fully staffed, and support systems functioning without disruption.
