Govt to provide free textbooks to Class I to VIII students of Sishu Mandir

Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to provide free textbooks to students of Class I to VIII of Shishu Mandir schools, managed by Bharatiya Siksha Vikash Sansthan (BSVS), across the state from the current academic year.
According to a notification issued in this regard on Thursday, as many as 2 lakh students of 1,037 schools can avail the benefits.
“Bharatiya Siksha Vikash Sansthan is admitting students of different castes, creeds and religions on poverty-cum-merit basis and imparting education in Odia medium. The government, therefore, has decided that free textbooks will be provided to students of Class I to VIII of recognised schools managed by the Sansthan, Odisha, to promote teaching in Odia and ensure quality education,” School and Mass Education Secretary Ranjana Chopra wrote to Textbook Bureau of Publication & Marketing.
You are, therefore, requested to supply free textbooks to theses students, she added.
Informing media about the decision, School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patro said, “The Bharatiya Siksha Vikash Sansthan is a registered educational charitable trust managing many schools in the state. So, we have decided to help them by providing free textbooks to students up to Class VIII.”
Official sources said the decision was made taking into account outstanding performance of the students from these schools in the 10th board examinations over the past three years.
The district education officers will be given the responsibility of monitoring the receipt and distribution of textbooks, the sources added.