Government schools in Maharashtra began the 2026-27 academic year on June 15 without class 6 textbooks. The delay in preparation of the State’s new CBSE-based curriculum, rolled out for four grades including class 6 this year, has resulted in this situation.

Under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, students from classes 1 to 8 in local self-government schools and aided schools are provided with free textbooks. This year, the new CBSE-based textbooks have been introduced for classes 2, 3, 4, and 6. However the delay in approval and preparation of the class 6 textbooks has left teachers in lurk.

Further, a 21-day bridge course has also been designed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to help students cover the gap between the old and the new curriculum. While the SCERT has made a PDF copy of this course available on its website, the physical bridge course book—much like the regular textbooks—has not yet reached the schools.

During a meeting with journalists earlier in June, Anuradha Oak, Director of the state’s textbook production bureau Balbharti, had said that class 6 textbooks are expected to reach schools by June 30. Till then, the bride course will be taught to students in schools, she had said. However, schools have not received the bride course material either.

In response, Hemant Vasekar, director of SCERT, told The Indian Express, “The completion of the bridge course is not related to the delay in class 6 textbooks. If the whole process for class 2,3,4 and 6 has taken this much time, then the bridge course is only the next step in the process.”

“The curriculum for class 2,3, and 4 got approval in February, and class 6 was approved as late as May. Textbook preparation started after that. The books will be available in phases just like this process,” he said.

He added, “We dispatched the bridge course books last Friday and they have been received by the district heads of all districts in Western Maharashtra. They will now be distributing it amongst schools in the coming days.” Schools in Vidharbha region are scheduled to commence their academic year from June 30 due to heat, therefore the books will be sent there later.

The Indian Express spoke to heads of multiple schools who confirmed that they had not received the textbooks. Tanaji Mane, President of the Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary School Principal’s Association, said, “We have only received Maths and English textbooks for class 6. The bridge course books are separate and we have not received those either.” Mane is the Principal of the Sharadchandra Pawar School in Solapur.

How will they teach students without textbooks? Mane said, “The syllabus in some way will be the same. Grammar will be taught in Hindi and Marathi. Similarly we will manage for other subjects.”

Similarly, a Zilla Parishad school principal from Pune’s Bhor taluka said that his school had received the English textbook for class 6 but no other textbooks for the grade. The principal of a Pune Municipal Corporation school also said that class 6 textbooks for all subjects had not been received.