Lok Sabha Question No. 2869 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-20
Subject: Supply of NCERT Books
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, BHARATENDRA SINGH, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, SULTAN  AHMED, HUKUM SINGH, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2869 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2017

## Supply of NCERT Books

## 2869.   DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

SHRI SULTAN AHMED:

SHRI HUKUM SINGH:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken adequate steps for supply of NCERT books for schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether any review meeting has been convened in this regard and if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has received complaints from schools and parents that textbooks were not available on time and books from private publishers were expensive and if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Government thereon;
- (d) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  now  schools  can  log  into  the  CBSE  website  and  place  their requirements for NCERT textbooks online and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  other  steps  taken/  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  school  books available before the commencement of academic session?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

- (a) Yes, Madam.  The following steps have been taken in this regard: -
- (i) The National  Council  of  Educational  Research  &  Training  (NCERT)  has  empanelled  680 vendors across the country for the purpose of distribution of their textbooks. The list of these vendors along with their addresses and contact numbers are uploaded on NCERT website for the schools ensuring them an easy approach to vendors.
- (ii) NCERT  books  are  also  made  available  to  the  students  and  schools  from  NCERT  sales counter located at NCERT headquarter. In addition, NCERT books are made available from the sales counter of its Regional Centres located at Ahmadabad, Bangalore and Kolkata. The sales counters located at Regional Institutes of Education in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysore and Shillong also cater to their respective areas.
- (iii) So far NCERT has released approximately 1.53 crore copies of their textbooks in the market. Further NCERT sales counters are equipped with adequate stock of books to supply to the schools as and when they desire to lift their stock from NCERT outlets.
- (iv) All the NCERT textbooks are available on public domain as they have been uploaded on the NCERT website www.ncert.nic.in and also on e-pathshala mobile app.
- (v) The  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education  (CBSE)  has  created  a  link  on  its  website  for raising online indent for requirements of NCERT books for CBSE affiliated schools.

(b) Regular  meetings  have  been  held  in  the  Ministry  to  review  the  requirement  of  NCERT textbooks in CBSE affiliated schools so as to ensure adequate supply of books to these schools.

(c) and (d) So  far,  no  complaint  has  been  received  from  schools  and  parents  regarding  nonavailability of NCERT textbooks. The Ministry has, however, been receiving many complaints from parents  and  public  with  regard  to  spending  exorbitant  amount  for  purchasing  of  books  of  private publishers.  Keeping in view such complaints, CBSE has created a link on its website for raising online indent for requirements of NCERT books for CBSE affiliated schools to facilitate parents and students.  This has resulted in receiving indents from 2091 CBSE affiliated schools for supply of 51.61 lakh NCERT books from across the country.

(e) NCERT  has  already  released  approximately  1.53  crore  copies  of  their  textbooks  in  the market.  Additional  30  lakh  books  are  available  in  stock  and  63  lakh  books  are  under  print.  The NCERT  has  also  granted  Copyright  permission  to  14  States  Education  Boards/Agencies  for adoption/ adaptation and translation etc., of their text books..

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