With less than three weeks remaining before schools reopen in Kerala, concerns have emerged over delays in the printing and distribution of school textbooks.

The issue, which has sparked a political controversy, gained momentum after the INTUC-affiliated workers’ union at the Kerala Books and Publication Society (KBPS) accused the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of misrepresenting the progress of textbook printing ahead of the Assembly elections.

According to K.K. Ibrahim Kutty, president of the KBPS Staff and Workers Union (INTUC), only around 70% of the textbooks have been printed so far. Only the inner pages have been printed and the cover pages are yet to be printed due to a shortage of paper, he said.

“The government is responsible for supplying paper, but it failed to do so on time. Without paper for cover pages, the binding process has come to a halt,” he alleged.

He claimed that during the tenure of the Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government, the KBPS directly procured paper and the government subsequently cleared the dues. The pending liabilities stood at around ₹60 crore at the end of the UDF government’s term, but escalated to nearly ₹300 crore during the LDF administration, severely affecting the organisation’s financial stability.

The mounting dues made it impossible for the KBPS to independently procure paper needed for textbook printing, he said. Trade unions subsequently demanded that the government itself take over paper procurement. But even after taking over the responsibility, the government could not ensure timely supply, the INTUC leader alleged, while adding that the government’s inability to clear dues amounting to nearly ₹15 crore to the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd. has led to the current hurdle.

‘Misleading claims’

The union leader also accused former General Education Minister V. Sivankutty of making misleading claims before the Assembly elections. While Mr. Sivankutty had publicly stated that all textbooks for the upcoming academic year had already been printed and would be distributed in advance before schools closed for summer vacation, only around 20% of the printing work had actually been completed, he alleged.

However, KBPS chairman and managing director Sunil Chacko dismissed concern over the delay as unnecessary. He acknowledged that the shortage of paper due to fund flow delays had temporarily affected the printing of cover pages and interrupted the binding process. However, the issue has now been resolved. The paper supplies resumed on Saturday, he said.

‘By May 15’

Mr. Chacko also expressed confidence that textbook distribution would be completed within the stipulated time frame this year. According to him, the main titles required by students from Classes 1 to 10 when schools reopen will be printed by May 15. The remaining activity books will be printed subsequently. Mr. Sivankutty was unavailable for comment.