BANGALORE: First year Pre-University students will have to attend classes without the prescribed textbooks for at least the next 15 days. Classes began on June 16. Second-year PU students too face the same fate. Though the colleges reopened on May 30, not all books are available.
The Department of Pre-University Education (DPE) had earlier directed printers and publishers to make the books available at least one week before commencement of I PU classes. This year, the DPE placed orders for 71 lakh textbooks of which half are Kannada and English language books.
As regards II PU courses, textbooks of Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, History, Economics, Business Studies are available. Students will have to wait for the Kannada and English textbooks. The DPE had placed an order for 32 lakh textbooks this year and they were supposed to be available by June 26.
According to sources in the department, printing of first-year PU textbooks has resumed and it will take two more weeks for them to reach students. Economics, Kannada and English textbooks are ready and will soon available.
According to DPE officials, the tenderer went to court which delayed the whole process. Dr Ramegowda, Director, DPE, said, “The printer awarded the tender this year filed a petition in the High Court appealing to reduce the number. But the court directed him to follow the department’s directions. Now, the printing has started.” The Department has also published a list of distributors on its official website www.pue.kar.nic.in and students/parents can contact them for textbooks.
Late Reply
The DPE wrote to the State government seeking permission to give printing orders for textbooks in November-December 2013, but the government replied only in February this year.