Nashik: Uniforms Missing as Schools Distribute Textbooks

On the first day of school, 4,238 students of the District Council under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and 493,886 students in other schools received textbooks but were deprived of uniforms. Conversely, students under the tribal department received uniforms but did not receive books or writing materials.

There is a government order mandating that students receive uniforms and textbooks on the first day of the academic year. However, this order has not been consistently followed for several years. Sometimes uniforms are available, and other times only books are provided. This year, the education department planned for 15 days to ensure textbooks would be available on the first day in the primary schools of Zila Parishad.

Initially, the books were sent to the taluka level and then to the school level. Textbooks were distributed to students of government schools, local self-government schools, partially aided and fully aided schools, tribal development department-run and subsidized ashram schools, and social welfare department-run and subsidized schools in 15 talukas of the district.

Nitin Bachhav, the Primary Education Officer of Zila Parishad, informed that the books were distributed in three phases to ensure students received them on the first day. Although textbooks were provided, students were deprived of uniforms. Previously, school uniforms were distributed to the students through the school management committees. This is now distributed by women self-help groups.