diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/oppia/android/app/player/state/itemviewmodel/TextInputViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/oppia/android/app/player/state/itemviewmodel/TextInputViewModel.kt
index c32fa5bd6f4..3cef1d1c0a7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/oppia/android/app/player/state/itemviewmodel/TextInputViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/oppia/android/app/player/state/itemviewmodel/TextInputViewModel.kt
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class TextInputViewModel private constructor(
   userAnswerState: UserAnswerState
 ) : StateItemViewModel(ViewType.TEXT_INPUT_INTERACTION), InteractionAnswerHandler {
   //subha hint make
-  lateinit var answerText: CharSequence
+  var answerText: CharSequence = ""
   private var answerErrorCetegory: AnswerErrorCategory = AnswerErrorCategory.NO_ERROR
   val hintText: CharSequence = deriveHintText(interaction)
   private var pendingAnswerError: String? = null