The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has announced a 20 percent reduction in the prices of textbooks for classes 9 to 12, effective from the next academic year. This decision was revealed by NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani during an event held on Monday.
Saklani stated that this is the first time NCERT has implemented such a significant price reduction for textbooks. “This year, NCERT has brought in a lot of efficiency in paper procurement and also onboarded printers with the latest printing machines. NCERT has decided to pass on this benefit to the students of the country,” he explained.
He further emphasized that all textbooks for grades 9-12 will be retailed at 20 percent lower prices than the current rates, marking an unprecedented move in the history of NCERT. Meanwhile, textbooks for grades 1-8 will continue to be sold at Rs 65 per copy.
The announcement was made during the Bhumi Pujan ceremony for the construction of an auditorium at the NCERT Headquarters, which was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. During the event, an MoU was signed between NCERT and Flipkart to enhance the distribution of NCERT textbooks.
Each year, NCERT prints approximately 4-5 crore textbooks across around 300 titles. The organization has also expanded its reach through partnerships with e-commerce platforms like Amazon, facilitating nationwide access to authentic textbooks.
