50. School board suffers loss     orders probe

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 2

The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) authorities today marked an inquiry into the wastage of funds to the tune of Rs 3.18 crore spent on books that have been rendered useless following a revision in syllabus.

There are some changes under the National Curriculum Framework-2005 scheme and the NCERT pattern from this session. The changes have been made in as many as 25 text books of different subjects of various classes.

Dr Balwinder Singh, Board Secretary, has been asked to fix responsibility in this case. "He will submit his report in the next meeting," said Hussan Lal, Chairman, PSEB.

The books, now obsolete, weigh about 2,350 quintals and can only be sold as waste. Dr Balwinder Singh said the Board had engaged private printers to publish its books. "I will check why a bulk order was placed causing loss," he added.

not to put a permanent burden on the Board by appointing more subject experts," he said.

He said a committee would be formed to recommend the names as well as number of such experts to be hired.

Sources said the English text books of classes XI and XII has not been revised since 1989. There are several other such text books that have not been revised for the last five years. "We need to put a system in place as far as the revision of books is concerned," said the chairman.

Secret fund slashed

A sum of Rs 9 crore has been surrendered to the Board from the secret fund, which the Board's chairman is authorised to use. "There was a provision of Rs 11 crore for this fund. Around Rs 90 lakh has already been spent. We have decided to cut the fund to Rs 2 crore," said Hussan Lal.