False campaign of unavailability at schools; textbooks getting printed and sold at high prices; no shortage, says NCERT 

KOCHI: NCERT textbooks are being illegally printed and sold at high prices by spreading the word that there is a shortage. The parents are being robbed by the sale of the book which is available in the school for 20-30 rupees at ten times higher price. The false campaign of the private book lobby is that books will be delayed in schools because of the new national education policy.

Central schools, CBSE and ICSE schools teach NCERT textbooks. NCERT Syllabus is used in the state for many subjects in Plus One, and Plus Two. There is also the connivance of some private schools for sale by private publishers and book stalls. More than a thousand books were delivered to a leading school.

The campaign that all the textbooks will be changed had started months ago. However, NCERT sources said that only the books of classes 3 and 6 are being changed. These will be available in June itself. Other books are available. NCERT also warned not to fall for the campaign of unavailability.

All books are available on the NCERT website. It is permitted to print and bind the book after downloading it from the website if the printed book is not available. Schools and parents use copies of the book if enough copies of books are not available. However, it is illegal to print and sell it as a book.

Lakhs of books seized

Illegal books worth Rs 3 lakh were seized from two book stalls in Kochi on the complaint of NCERT. Acting on information received from the NCERT Bengaluru Regional Office, Assistant Store Officer MJ Paramesh came to Kochi and bought the book at a high price. Following this, the police seized 1,200 books in a complaint filed with evidence.

"Shortage of books is a false campaign. Books booked in March will be received before schools reopen."

- Dr. Indira Rajan,

General Secretary, National Council of CBSE Schools