Chandigarh, January 22: Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal said that the State Government has decided to give free books to the students studying in Class IX and XII in the government schools. According to a press release from the Haryana government on Tuesday, Pal said, "At present, the State Government is already providing free of cost books, school bags, other stationery and uniforms to the students from class I to VIII. The decision to provide free books to the students studying in Class IX and XII in the government schools will involve an expenditure of about Rs 41.47 crore.

"The Education Minister said that the Center has recommended implementing 'Rashtriya Shiksha Niti-2019' for extending the scope of free education from class VIII to XII standard. He said that the Haryana government has already decided to adopt 'Rashtriya Shiksha Niti-2019' in the State.

He said that NCERT books are being taught in government schools of the state from class IX to XII, which costs around Rs 650 to Rs 700 per student per class. He said that the number of students from class IX to XII are 6,19,256 and the total expenditure of books is around Rs 41.47 crores.

Pal said that the books for these four classes will be given to the students through libraries or book-banks. He added that the passed-out students who get promoted to the next class will have to deposit the books of the previous class in the library or book-banks in order to keep the books for the next class.