COVID-19 lockdown: Balbharti releases class 10, 12 textbooks online

While the textbooks for class 10 were already uploaded in PDF format last year itself, for class 12, the department uploaded the 31 books with the revised syllabus for students of arts, science and commerce in English and Marathi on April 8.

To ensure timely availability of this year’s academic material class 10 and 12 students, School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad on April 8, 2020, announced that Balbharti (the state bureau for textbook publishing and curriculum research) published textbooks in PDF format for students. She also added that the students can download textbooks for free.

The officials stated that due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown, Balbharti was not able to supply textbooks to the markets. Also, the syllabus for class 12 is revised this year. While the textbooks for class 10 were already uploaded in PDF format last year itself, for class 12, the department uploaded the 31 books with the revised syllabus for students of arts, science and commerce in English and Marathi on April 8.

Stating that department’s decision on making the study material available online for class 10, 12 students, Gaikwad tweeted, ‘In order to prevent the loss of 10th and 12th students in the situations arising out of the lockdown, the students of 10th and 12th will have their books available on the website in a PDF form.’

The officials also informed that to provide study material in versatile form, content such as video lectures and interactive content for Class X is available on the e-Bal Bharti learning app. However, efforts are being made to update the app with content for class 12.

On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared nationwide lockdown for 21 days in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Despite the lockdown, the government asked dedicated education departments to explore ways to continue the teaching and learning process.  

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