₹135 Crores Wasted in MAHA Textbook Page Plan
Mumbai : In an attempt to reduce the burden of schoolbags on students, the Maharashtra State School Education Department decided to include notebook pages within textbooks for Classes 2 to 8 from the academic year 2023–24. However, this initiative turned out to be ineffective and imposed an additional financial burden of ₹135.63 crores on the state exchequer. Within just two years, the department was compelled to withdraw the decision. On behalf of its social welfare initiative Surajya Abhiyan, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has submitted a representation to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, the Education Minister, and the Secretary of the School Education Department, demanding that the officers responsible for this failed policy be held accountable and the funds recovered from them.
As per the Government Resolution dated 8th March 2023, the School Education Department stated that rural students often lack writing materials, and therefore, a few blank pages were added at the end of textbooks for writing purposes. However, these pages were inadequate, forcing students to buy regular notebooks anyway. As a result, rather than reducing the weight of schoolbags, it increased. Moreover, the addition of notebook pages led to thicker and costlier textbooks. Thus, the initiative failed to serve its educational purpose, while the inflated costs had to be covered from state funds.
Why blame students for policy failures?
According to information provided by Mr. Krishnakumar Patil, Director of Balbharati, this decision cost the government ₹72 crores in the academic year 2023–24 and ₹63.63 crores in 2024–25, totalling ₹135.63 crores. In a subsequent Government Resolution dated 28th January 2025, the department itself admitted that, “A review of the scheme showed that the notebook pages added to the textbooks were not used effectively by students to record the taught content as expected.” Shockingly, instead of accepting responsibility, the department indirectly blamed the students for the failure of the policy.
Had this decision been first implemented on a pilot basis in selected schools and evaluated properly, the government could have avoided such a massive loss. This incident highlights the need for evidence-based and well-reviewed policymaking in the education sector, remarked Surajya Abhiyan’s Maharashtra State Coordinator Mr. Abhishek Murukate. Surajya Abhiyan has demanded that the ₹135 crore loss incurred due to this misguided policy be recovered from the responsible officials, and that future decisions be made with greater responsibility, planning, and transparency.
