The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) announced on Friday that it has intensified the printing of newly introduced Class 9 textbooks on a war footing to resolve a temporary mismatch between demand and supply following the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020-aligned curriculum.
New Textbooks Released
In an official statement, NCERT confirmed that a fresh set of Grade 9 textbooks based on NEP 2020 has been released. Digital versions of these books were made available free of cost on its official website nearly two weeks ago.
Supply Challenges and Response
The council acknowledged that the rollout of the new curriculum has led to a sharp increase in demand. The statement noted, These books are being printed on a war-footing manner and distributed across the country. Due to the very large number of textbooks required, there is a temporary gap in supply and demand. NCERT added that it is closely monitoring the situation and working to bridge this gap, with supply being normalized.
Distribution Channels
To ensure uninterrupted access for students and schools, NCERT is utilizing multiple distribution channels. These include a nationwide vendor network, sales counters at its regional centers, and its headquarters in New Delhi, which is keeping counters open on weekends. The textbooks are also available through online platforms such as NCERTs official portal, DIKSHA, and ePathshala. Additionally, they are listed on select e-commerce platforms, while free downloadable versions remain accessible online.
Bulk Orders and Social Science Book
NCERT is directly supplying textbooks to schools and institutions placing bulk orders, particularly to expedite distribution during the transition phase. The council noted that while temporary supply issues are expected during large-scale curriculum reforms, systems have been put in place to resolve them quickly. It also confirmed that all Class 9 textbooks have been published, except the Social Science book, which is in the final stage of preparation and will be released soon.
