‘Shame on CBSE’ trends: Teacher claims delayed NCERT books are putting Class 9 students under pressure

The trending phrase "Shame on CBSE" emerged after a teacher, Prashant Kirar, highlighted the issues faced by Class 9 students due to delayed NCERT textbooks. Kirar, with over seven years of teaching experience, lamented the increased pressure on students because of the accelerated pace of the new syllabus and the unavailability of some books. He pointed out that students received their new curriculum in Class 8, then another set of books in Class 9, and may face more changes by Class 10.

Kirar clarified that while he supports updating the curriculum, he is concerned about the manner and timing of textbook releases. According to him, NCERT had initially planned to release the new textbooks in March 2026, but they instead arrived in April, May, and only towards the end of July for some subjects, with Hindi-medium versions still pending.

This delay has made it challenging for schools to cover the syllabus within the given timeframe, as students are required to prepare for their half-yearly exams in September after only one to one-and-a-half months of studying a new book.

Teachers, too, are under pressure from school management to complete the prescribed portions before exams, Kirar noted. He received numerous comments from students expressing difficulties in understanding the new material and coping with the rapid teaching pace. Kirar emphasized that students are not robots and cannot finish a book in such a short time.

He also criticized the implementation of the three-language policy for Class 9 students, stating that adequate textbooks and teaching resources are not available for all language choices. He pointed out a circular instructing Class 9 students to use Class 6 textbooks for certain languages, questioning the appropriateness of such a practice.