NCERT Officials Confiscate Counterfeit Textbooks in Agartala
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Synopsis
On January 31, NCERT officials, in partnership with Tripura Police, conducted successful raids in Agartala, seizing pirated NCERT textbooks sold to students. Led by Amitabha Kumar, the operation was initiated following complaints from guardians regarding illegal sales.
Key Takeaways
- The NCERT and Tripura Police seized pirated textbooks in Agartala.
- Raids were led by Chief Business Manager Amitabha Kumar.
- Counterfeit books were printed on inferior quality paper.
- Legal action will be taken against those involved in sales.
- Concerns raised over the state Education Department's inaction.
Agartala, Jan 31 (NationPress) Officials from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in collaboration with Tripura Police, successfully confiscated pirated NCERT textbooks that were being sold to students in local bookstores in Agartala, as reported on Friday.
A team of NCERT representatives, headed by Amitabha Kumar, the Chief Business Manager, executed raids across several bookstores in Agartala over the last two days, leading to the seizure of numerous counterfeit textbooks.
Kumar explained that a combined team of NCERT officials from Delhi and the Guwahati regional office carried out the operations after receiving complaints from guardians about the illegal sale of pirated textbooks.
“We conducted a market survey and, with the police's help, targeted the shops mentioned in the complaints,” Kumar informed the press.
The official pointed out that the counterfeit books were printed on inferior quality 50 GSM (Grams per Square Metre) paper, contrasting with authentic NCERT books, which are printed on 80 GSM paper.
Highlighting the financial motives behind the illegal sales of pirated textbooks, he noted that while NCERT provides a 20 percent profit margin, the publishers of these counterfeit books offer up to 40 percent, making them more attractive to bookstore owners.
“Original NCERT books feature watermarks, whereas the pirated versions lack these imprints and do not adhere to other specifications of NCERT books. Additionally, the shop owners failed to provide valid invoices for the books,” Kumar stated.
The NCERT official indicated that stringent legal actions would be taken against individuals engaged in this illegal trade. Several guardians criticized the Education Department officials of the state for their lackadaisical approach towards these illicit activities in the NCERT book market. NCERT officials frequently conduct similar raids in various other cities across the country to combat the issue of pirated textbooks.
