Textbook Delay Raises Concerns, But Educators Call It A Transition Phase
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April 2026, the start of a new academic session, is a bit different from usual. This year, parents woke up to concerns after CBSE announced changes to the Class 9 syllabus. Not because of the changes, but because textbooks are not fully in place, and parents worry about how classes will start. This year is no different, especially with revised NCERT books linked to the National Education Policy.
But some in the education space say this gap is being misunderstood.
Atishay Jain, Managing Director at Koncept Global Books, sees it less as a delay and more as a transition period. According to him, new textbooks often reach schools close to the start of the session, which leaves teachers with limited time to adjust at first. “The first few weeks are about alignment,” he says. “Teachers are still getting used to the new structure.”
That adjustment, he adds, settles in over the next couple of months. By May and June, classrooms tend to find their rhythm, and the focus shifts from just finishing chapters to understanding how the new content is meant to be taught.
The change is not just about new books. The approach itself is different. The revised material puts more weight on understanding, projects and practical learning, instead of memorising answers. That shift takes time, both in preparation and in the classroom.
Others working closely with schools echo this view. Kushal Raj Chakravorty, who runs the Lotus Petal Foundation, says such gaps are common when large systems change. Printing, distribution and updating content across thousands of schools cannot happen overnight. “There is always a time lag between what is introduced and what reaches every classroom,” he says.
In the meantime, schools are not waiting. Teachers are using a mix of digital content, worksheets and their own material to keep lessons moving. In some cases, this has even opened up more space for discussion and activity-based learning, without being tied to a single textbook.
For parents, the concern is real, but educators say the larger picture matters. The pause is not because the system is stuck. It is because it is changing.
If anything, this phase shows how education is shifting. Slower at the start, perhaps, but aiming for deeper learning once it settles.
