Why is the reading habit dying?

·         Expensive books-we are poor(!)

·         School Libaries-in the budget strapped scenario, that’s the last priority.

·         General dumbing down of syllabus-it is possible for State Board students to clear the Std 10 exam(maybe even get a distinction) without having read a single book.

·         Comic Books-the general introduction to reading- replaced by those same comic serials.

·         Reluctance to spend on non academic books-seen as timepass and not worth it even for food. This reluctance to spend on CPE/self development extends beyond books, perhaps because the quality of programs/training is not that good

·         Attention deficit-TV has really reduced our attention span and made us used to instant gratification.

·         Multimedia-books not multimedia. Ebook reader allows colour BUT audio books still quite expensive and presently impracticable

·         ‘Uncool’ since reading associated with being a studious type which teenagers don’t like

·         Parenting-not all literate, nor do all give time to read to their young children(best way, it worked for me atleast).

·         Indian editions out of data(both academic and others).

·         Indian ‘pulp fiction’-Gresham’s law-Wheeler’s stalls as examples-'good' books are driven out by the pulp fiction of today priced under Rs 100(I'm not meaning to sound elitist it is just a fact)

The light at the end of the tunnel

·         Libraries which supplement corporate librarires

·         Libariries on wheels-free home delivery

·         Ebook readers.

·         Comics on mobile/relaunched