BAJURA: Students in the remote villages of various far-western districts have been facing a hard time due to lack of textbooks.

According to sources, Janak Education Material Centre, Bhaktapur, had dispatched the textbooks directly to the district depots although they were required to dispatch the books to the central offices and district depots via the regional depots.

According to Yogendra Bhatta, chief of far-western Regional Office, the central office was found supplying books directly to the district depots under the influence of nepotism.

“Though we have approached the central office several times for books, they didn’t take initiative to supply the text books. However, they were found dispatching the books directly to the district depots,” said Bhatta. He said students in some districts had received all their books while others had returned empty-handed due to the centralised distribution of books and influence of nepotism.

All the necessary books have been made available in Achham, Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur districts that have access to the higher authorities, including ministers, secretaries and leaders.

Kailali, Bajura, Darchula and Bajhang districts have been reeling under textbook crunch. More than 80,000 textbooks are required in these districts.

Students of grades eight, nine and 10 have been affected the most.

Janak Education had established a depot each in all districts this fiscal. “This has made it easier for the depots to receive books on the basis of favouritism,” complained officials at the education centre.

It has been two weeks since Kashi Chandra Rokaya, a depot representative of Bajura Janak Education Materials Depot, went to Kathmandu to collect textbooks. He said, “I came to Kathmandu as books were being sent to other districts on the basis of nepotism. I go to Janak Education every day, but return empty-handed because I do not know influential people.”

The book crunch, two months after the new academic session, has enraged students, parents, and teachers alike.

“We get several calls from them inquiring about books, but it is very hard to convince them,” said Nrip Khati, a bookseller in Martadi.