New Delhi, June 2, 2025: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has intensified its fight against the illegal manufacture, distribution, and sale of pirated textbooks, adopting a zero-tolerance policy. In the last 14 months, NCERT, in collaboration with police authorities across India, has seized over 5 lakh pirated copies of its textbooks, along with a substantial amount of printing paper and machinery valued at more than Rs 20 crore.
The crackdown has led to the registration of 29 First Information Reports (FIRs) against printers, warehouse owners, and retailers involved in the piracy racket. Recent operations include a significant raid in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, where over 1.5 lakh pirated NCERT textbooks worth Rs 2 crore were confiscated, alongside a truck, two cars, and printing plates. Eight individuals were arrested during this raid. Additionally, a printing press in Samalkha, Haryana, was targeted, resulting in the seizure of more printing plates and machinery used for producing counterfeit textbooks.
The Ministry of Education has emphasized that these actions, spanning the last 14 months, are part of a broader effort to curb piracy, which undermines the quality of education and violates the Copyright Act, 1957. NCERT remains committed to ensuring the availability of authentic, high-quality textbooks at affordable prices for students across the country.
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