Guwahati: Students of classes IX and X in Assam will get free textbooks from academic year 2017-18 as the Assam government aims to increase enrolment in state- funded schools and reduce dropout rate.
As part of the scheme, free textbooks would reach the students by December 25 as the classes of new sessions in Assam starts from January 1 every year, said a government release here today.
Noting the target group of the scheme is all students studying in classes IX and X irrespective of their parents’ income, the release said the scheme will cover all government/ provicialised (government-funded) high and higher secondary schools, all tea garden schools, local body schools, all model schools under Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan (RMSA) and all non-provincialised schools receiving financial incentives at any point of time.
As per the notification issued by the Secondary Education Department, the Assam State Textbook Production and Publication Corporation Limited will be the agency entrusted for printing and distribution of free textbooks.
The Director of Secondary Education is designated as State Nodal Officer for implementation of the scheme at the Directorate level while the Inspectors of school will be the district nodal officers for implementation of the scheme of the respective districts, the release said.
To supervise the implementation of the scheme there shall be a state-level committee with Principal Secretary of Education department as Chairman and Secretary of Secondary Education Department as Member Secretary.
To monitor the receipt and distribution of free textbooks, there shall be a district-level committee with Deputy Commissioner as Chairman, Inspector of Schools as Member Secretary and two principals to be nominated by the Deputy Commissioner as members, it added.