NCERT to triple fold the publication of books: Union Education Minister

The Union Education Minister on Monday, October 7 announced, National Council for Educational Research and textbooks (NCERT) will triple fold the publication of textbooks. It will print 15 crore books this year.

Pradhan made this statement during an event. It was an event letter of engagement signed between NCERT and Amazon.

"The NCERT has been shaping India's education landscape by publishing textbooks since 1963, with a total of around 220 crore books and journals. NCERT is a major think tank for the country. These books will be made available across nearly 20,000 pin codes nationwide. The books should be available at MRP," Pradhan stated.

Focusing on the importance of making learning joyful for millions of students of Amrit Kaal, he asked the development of e-books that are interactive and AI-driven, featuring innovations like talking books.

As for the collaboration, as per the officials, NCERT textbooks of all grades shall be made available on the Amazon NCERT storefront, which was also launched during the event.

While talking about the significance of textbooks in education, Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) Sanjay Kumar highlighted the requirement to strengthen the supply chain for these essential resources.

He told the textbooks, which account for nearly 96% of the total volume of book sales in the country, should be made available through e-commerce platforms like Amazon to enhance student accessibility.

"Amazon will help NCERT monitor and take down unauthorised sellers who distribute counterfeit or overpriced books. Through Amazon's vast delivery network, students and schools, even in the most remote areas, will be able to purchase textbooks at the prescribed prices.” He added.

The commitment to publish threefold books is commendable.