Bengaluru: Students enrolled in government Pre-University Colleges (PUCs) across Karnataka are still awaiting the distribution of free textbooks promised by the state government, with reports of partial deliveries from several districts.

According to the Karnataka unit of the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), government PU colleges in Bengaluru, Yadgiri, Hassan, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Ballari and Raichur have received only limited textbook shipments, which are insufficient to meet student demand.

The state government currently provides free textbooks up to Class 10. It had assured that PUC textbooks would be distributed by the end of May, but many students are yet to receive them.

Development educationist Professor Niranjanaradhya V.P. said the delay would disproportionately affect students from economically weaker backgrounds, who often depend on government-provided textbooks as their primary learning resource.

AIDSO state vice-president Apoorva C.M. alleged that the delay primarily impacts students in government institutions and warned that such gaps could widen educational inequalities and encourage further privatisation of education.

She added that many affected students rely only on mobile phones for learning, limiting their access to alternative study resources.