The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has warned the textbook printers of penalty if they don’t comply with the deadline.
Speaking to DH, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh said, if the supply of textbooks is delayed, the printers will be liable for a penalty. “We have made several changes this year because the printers requested us. Even then if they delay the printing, they will be penalised,” said Nagesh.
As explained by the officials from the Karnataka Textbook Society (KTBS), the penalty clause is mentioned in the tender notification itself.
“The penalty starts with one per cent of the total bill amount and based on the number of days delayed and the reasons for the delay, it will go up,” an official mentioned.
According to the deadline issued by the KTBS, the printers have to deliver textbooks by May 14 which is 100 days from the day the CD was given to them. As many as six crore copies of 530 textbook titles have been given for printing for the 2022-23 academic year.
The printers have temporarily suspended the printing of textbooks following the non-availability of raw materials.
The Karnataka Textbook Printers Association requested the state government to interfere and talk to the Tamil Nadu government-run paper mill which is the largest supplier of raw material for textbooks printing.
However, the officials from the KTBS said that 68% of the printing has been completed and 58% has reached the block level.
Meanwhile, an official from the Education Department said that a delay (in supplying textbooks) by a month will not affect the academic activities. “The classes will be commencing from May 16, but for the first month, we will be concentrating on learning recovery and we have supplied separate study material for that,” the official said.
Published 05 May 2022, 17:00 IST