Textbooks are foremost pillars of learning and play an effective role in acquiring knowledge. For a learner ,especially at primary level the gaps are never plugged when textbooks are not available. The deficiencies get reflected at higher levels of learning be it secondary or senior secondary stages. The pictorial representation of textbooks increase attention of learner and finally enhance the intrinsic motivation of a learner. The attention is taking pragmatic aspect of learner ,and brings forth his capacities and associated faculties of learning. Besides the learner is acquainted with diverse range of subjects ,from science to social sciences ,while absorbing the content linked with languages cutting the barriers of caste, creed, and class system .Textbooks opens the gates of knowledge and wisdom ,they not only prepare students for academics but provides the platform to cherish the taste of literature of different subjects be it Urdu, Arabic , Hindi, Kashmiri or English.

Imagine the scenario where learners belong to downtrodden sections of society and textbooks are not available in time. How can the learner cement the gaps when a pretty length of time of an academic year is spent in waiting amid formal schooling is going on .The scenario of textbooks absence from school bags of learner resembles with the famous play ‘Waiting For Godot’. Changing of academic calendar and implementation of NEP2020, is absurd and futile when books are not available to a learner in time while quarter of academic session is lost. The cries of learner are unheard and un responded and this disturbs the schooling of learner ,as he/she is merely engaged inside the four walls only. The educator uses different mediums to transact the knowledge to learner be it white boards or co curricular part and leaves no stone unturned to make teaching /learning process a fruitful entity. But in reality he feels like Alice in wonderland when textbooks are missing in classroom .This finally takes the heavy tool on examination system which assess the learning levels of a scholar.
Child allowance, scholarships, midday meals and free uniform among students of govt aided schools though every year takes lead , but non availability of textbooks spoils the whole system ,as deficiencies in learning levels are never plugged .The implications of absence of books deteriorates the strong foundation of a learner , who fails to compete at higher levels with his peers and this leads to depression of sensitive learners who are inquisitive of knowledge and eventually feel alienated in higher institutions .Even this leads to drop out rates of school going children as in primary and upper primary stage this turns out to be a strong reason of a learner. Taking a pragmatic view of need of textbooks, there is dire need to make books available to student community , at the commencement of session. While other things can take back seat in implementation process, be it uniform or MDM. The chief goal of all these things is to orient a learner towards education .While the UT government is taking strenuous efforts to streamline the education system in J&K, but the shortage of textbooks is still unresolved. The department of education needs to take strong and pragmatic measures to make availability of textbooks at the commencement of academic session especially in remote areas where literacy rate is low and learners belong to vulnerable sections of society, who cannot afford even pen /pencil .Apart from this the busy training schedules of education officials and implementation of new pedagogical skills would not bear any fruit ,when textbooks are unavailable in learners school bags.

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