V Sivankutty Slams Centre Over NCERT Book Distribution Delay, SSK Fund Withholding

Thiruvananthapuram: Public Education Minister V Sivankutty has accused the central government of a serious dereliction of duty, pointing to the non-delivery of revised NCERT textbooks for Classes 8, 9, and Plus One to Kendriya Vidyalayas ahead of the new academic year, and the discriminatory withholding of Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) funds.

Addressing a press conference, Sivankutty said it was deeply ironic that the same central government which cannot deliver textbooks even to its own Navodaya and Kendriya Vidyalayas continues to find fault with Kerala's development. "The Kerala government ensured that textbooks for the next academic year reached students before schools closed. Those who mocked us for that are now answering for this failure," he said. The minister urged the Prime Minister to call the Union Education Minister after his roadshow and direct him to expedite textbook distribution.

SSK Funds: A Pattern of Discrimination

Sivankutty said the Centre's conduct on SSK funding amounted to a deliberate effort to financially suffocate Kerala's public education sector. The state had sought Rs 266 crore as the central share for expenditure on free textbooks, uniforms, and support for children who are differentlt abled under the RTE framework for 2023-24 and 2024-25. Against this, the Centre released a mere Rs 6.86 crore — a figure the minister described as brazenly discriminatory.

Breaking down the figures, Sivankutty said that for 2023-24, against a total approved outlay of Rs 702.72 crore, the Centre was to contribute 60 per cent — amounting to Rs 421.62 crore — but released only Rs 141.6 crore, leaving Rs 188.58 crore outstanding. For 2024-25, against an approved plan of Rs 855.90 crore, the Centre's share of Rs 513.54 crore has not been released even partially. A further Rs 446.1 crore is due for 2025-26, bringing the total central arrears owed to Kerala from 2023-24 onwards to Rs 1,158.13 crore.

The minister said that at a supplementary Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting on March 27, the Union Education Secretary had agreed to release Rs 129.31 crore. However, when the minutes of the meeting were published on March 30, this commitment had been reversed. The state's Public Education Secretary has since written to the Union Education Ministry, pointing out that the minutes do not accurately reflect the discussions and decisions taken at the PAB meeting, and demanding that the minutes be cancelled and fresh decisions taken in consultation with Kerala.

Sivankutty further alleged that the Centre is attempting to adjust Kerala's pending arrears against new fund releases, effectively nullifying the dues. He noted that all expenditure figures have been accurately recorded on the Centre's own Prabandh portal, yet decisions are being taken without verifying them.

"Kerala offers Rs 25 crore as the first prize in its bumper lottery, yet the Centre allocates a mere six crore rupees for the educational needs of an entire state. This money belongs to differently abled children, children from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, and other marginalised sections. This is a grave injustice to Kerala, and the state will protest against this discrimination unitedly," Sivankutty said.