May 21, Kathmandu- Even though the new academic session has started, it is not yet certain when the textbook will reach the hands of the students. The students are still without books as they have to get the books on the first day of school. Textbooks that should have been published immediately by both the government and the private sector have not been published yet.

This situation has come up as the government body Janak Education Material Centre was busy printing the ballot papers of the local level election while printing the book. Similarly, private publishers have been reluctant to print textbooks saying that the price of paper has gone up. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has not been able to take effective steps to solve the problem. Stakeholders have objected saying that such problems are being repeated every year.