In a landmark move, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has announced a 20% reduction in the prices of textbooks for students in classes 9 to 12. This price cut will come into effect from the next academic year, marking a significant milestone in the history of NCERT.
Dinesh Prasad Saklani, the NCERT Director, shared the news during an event on Monday. He explained that the price reduction is a result of enhanced efficiency in paper procurement and the adoption of the latest printing technologies by NCERT. These efforts have allowed the council to pass on the benefits to students in the form of lower textbook prices.
Saklani emphasized that this is the first time NCERT has made such a significant reduction in the prices of textbooks. He further revealed that all textbooks for grades 9-12 would be available at a price 20% lower than the current rates.
However, textbooks for grades 1-8 will continue to be available at the existing price of Rs 65 per copy. NCERT prints around 4-5 crore textbooks annually, covering about 300 titles, and continues to ensure their availability nationwide.
In addition, NCERT has entered into a partnership with Flipkart, an e-commerce giant, to expand the reach of NCERT textbooks across the country. This collaboration aims to make NCERT textbooks more accessible to students through online platforms.
This move aligns with NCERT's ongoing efforts to modernize its operations and provide affordable educational resources to students nationwide, ensuring equitable access to quality learning materials.
