New Delhi, April 24 -- Delhi government schools are facing an acute shortage of textbooks due to an apparent delay in the government's distribution system, with teachers and students saying they have been forced to adopt temporary measures such as reusing textbooks from previous batches, using printouts of e-books, and assigning reduced homework.

Calling the delay a "routine" issue frequently reported during the start of the academic year, principals, teachers, and students said that book supply has started but is only partial - books for certain classes and subjects have arrived.

On Wednesday, Delhi High Court advocate and education rights activist Ashok Agarwal wrote to the education secretary Sanjeev Ahuja, saying that the delay amou...