PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 16 -- More than four months into the new academic session, hundreds of students in Classes 1 to 8 at several schools in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj district are still waiting for free textbooks and workbooks. School staff are making repeated trips to the basic shiksha adhikari's office to seek additional supplies.

The shortage has been reported in several government-aided schools where enrolment has increased this session, but books were supplied based on student strength recorded on the U-DISE portal during the previous academic year. As a result, newly admitted students have been left without textbooks.

"Orders for books for free distribution are placed based on the student strength registered on the designated portal as...