Trends ‘Shame on CBSE’: Teacher claims delayed NCERT books put class 9 students under pressure | Today’s news
“Shame on CBSE” started trending on social media after a teacher raised concerns about the late NCERT textbooks, the pace at which the new syllabus is being taught and the pressure faced by Class 9 students after switching to the syllabus.
In a 7-minute-24-second YouTube video, teacher Prashant Kirar spoke about the difficulties students are allegedly facing due to delays in the availability of new NCERT books. The video garnered over 64,000 views within hours of being uploaded.
Kirar, who said he has been teaching students in grades 8 through 12 for the past seven years, described the 9th graders as being caught in the middle of many curriculum changes.
“Today, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made these rats into Class 9 students,” he said, referring to the use of animals in scientific testing. Kirar noted that students received the new NCERT syllabus in Class 8, were introduced to another set of books in Class 9 and could face another change when they reach Class 10.
He specified that he was not against updating the curriculum and said that new textbooks were necessary. However, he questioned the manner and timing of their introduction.
“The new NCRT is not a bad thing. I totally understand that we have to change the syllabus, bring new books. It is a very good thing. I fully support it,” said Kirar.
Teacher delay questions in NCERT books
According to Kirar, NCERT has indicated that the new textbooks will be released in March 2026. He claimed that some books arrived in April and May, while social science books were released only in late July.
He further claimed that Hindi versions of some books are still unavailable.
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Kirar said the delay caused difficulties as schools had to cover large parts of the syllabus in a short time before the mid-term exams.
“Do you know what the kid is facing? I’ll tell you the reality. The kid gets a book in July. And that too at the end of July. And he has a mid-term exam in September,” he said.
According to the teacher, students may only get one to one and a half months to prepare material that would normally require several months of study.
“How can a child finish a book in one to one-and-a-half months? He is not a robot,” Kirar said.
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He also said that teachers themselves may be under pressure from school management to meet the prescribed portions before exams.
“He’s not doing well. He doesn’t understand anything.”
Kirar said he received comments from students describing difficulty understanding new material and coping with the accelerated pace of instruction.
“I get comments every day that he doesn’t understand anything. He’s just giving an exam,” he said.
He added: “He’s not doing well. He doesn’t understand anything. This is a grade 9 condition.”
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The teacher said the push was not necessarily the result of individual teachers, pointing instead to a broader transition and the timing of textbook availability.
“It is not the school teacher’s fault. Because he is also under pressure from the management,” said Kirar.
Concerns about the trilingual policy
Kirar also raised concerns about the implementation of the tri-language policy for Class 9 students.
He said the policy requiring students to study three languages, two of which are Indian, was basically a positive step. However, he argued that adequate textbooks and learning resources are not available for all language options.
“There are no books for all these languages. There are no books,” he said.
Kirar further referred to a circular which he said directed Class 9 students to use Class 6 textbooks for certain languages.
“A 9th grader will use a 6th grade textbook,” he quoted from the circular.
Questioning the approach, he said, “A class 9 child will read Sanskrit from a class 6 book.”
He also claimed that many schools lacked the additional language teachers needed to implement the policy effectively.
“The language policy that was put in place, 90% of schools don’t have extra language teachers. I’m talking about the ground reality,” he said.
Teacher shares comments from 9th grade students
Kirar said he originally had no intention of making the video, but changed his mind after seeing comments from students.
“I never wanted to make this video. Never. But I was forced to when I saw my kids’ comments,” he said.
One student, whose comment was read by Kirar in the video, claimed that their school had started using older textbooks because the new NCERT books had not arrived.
“I am in class 9. I started reading from old books in our school. New NCERT is not coming,” the student wrote, according to Kirar.
Another concern raised was the pending Part 2 books and the ability to complete new material during the final months of the academic session.
Kirar also read comments from students who described the current batch as the “worst batch” and said they were struggling to understand the syllabus.
“The whole SST syllabus was completed in a month. I didn’t understand anything in school. I’m going to fail,” one student wrote, according to the teacher.
Teacher records RTI over textbook delay
Meanwhile, Kirar said he had also filed an online Right to Information (RTI) application with the education department seeking answers to the delay in textbooks.
“We have filed an RTI with the education department,” he said.
He said the RTI had sought information on why the books were delayed and when the remaining Part 2 textbooks would be released.
Kirar also appealed to Class 9 students, parents and teachers who were facing similar problems to support the petition mentioned in the description of his video.
“I am the older brother of these children”
Towards the end of the video, Kirar stood up as an advocate for the students whose concerns he was highlighting.
“Because I am the elder brother of these children. They call me Prashant Bhaiya. And if their elder brother is not standing with them at such a time, then there is no point in me being here,” he said.
He encouraged other teachers to speak up about the issue and said he hopes more educators will voice concerns about the issues facing Grade 9 students.
“Right now, the 9th graders need us,” Kirar said.
“Remember, all students, your elder brother stands with you,” he added.
Kirar concluded by saying that he will continue to try to help students and work to get the NCERT Part 2 books out as soon as possible.
