The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Police, has seized more than five lakh pirated textbooks and printing equipment worth Rs 20 crore over the last 14 months.
This crackdown aims to curb counterfeit book distribution, which has been significantly impacting students and the education sector.
Authorities recently conducted a raid in Muzaffarnagar, leading to the confiscation of over 1.5 lakh fake textbooks and the arrest of eight individuals. Additionally, a similar raid in Samalkha, Haryana, uncovered illegal printing presses and counterfeit books, exposing the depth of this unlawful network.
These pirated books, printed on poor-quality paper, cause issues for unsuspecting students. In response, NCERT has improved printing standards, launched e-commerce distribution, and enforced stricter checks to ensure authentic textbooks reach students. Plans are also underway to implement anti-piracy technology developed by IIT Kanpur to safeguard educational content.
NCERT urges parents, schools, and vendors to verify textbook authenticity and report suspicious activities. As authorities continue their investigations, this crackdown serves as a strong warning to counterfeit publishers and distributors.
