The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with NCERT and local police authorities, has intensified its efforts to combat the piracy of NCERT textbooks. Over the past 14 months, this initiative has resulted in the seizure of over 500,000 pirated textbooks and printing equipment valued at over Rs. 20 Crore, along with 29 FIRs filed against individuals involved in printing, distributing, and selling counterfeit textbooks. Recent raids in Muzaffarnagar and Samalkha led to further seizures and arrests. To address this issue, NCERT is implementing several measures, including improving the quality and availability of genuine textbooks, taking action against counterfeiters, targeting illegal paper production, making textbooks accessible on e-commerce platforms at MRP, and introducing a technology-based anti-piracy solution developed by IIT Kanpur. NCERT encourages students, parents, and teachers to report instances of pirated textbook sales.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for education, which issued the notice regarding action against pirated NCERT textbooks.
NCERT: National Council of Educational Research and Training, an organization that publishes textbooks. It is the entity whose textbooks are being pirated and is taking action against the piracy.
02 JUN 2025: Date of the press release regarding the action taken against piracy of NCERT textbooks.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - the source of the information.
Copyright Act, 1957: The legal framework under which the piracy of NCERT textbooks is a cognizable offence.
UP Police: The Uttar Pradesh Police, which assisted NCERT in conducting a raid on a warehouse in Muzaffarnagar.
Muzaffarnagar: Location of a warehouse where pirated NCERT textbooks were seized.
Samalkha Haryana: Location of a printing press raided for producing pirated NCERT textbooks.
Kashipur: Location of a paper mill allegedly manufacturing illegal NCERT watermarked paper.
IIT Kanpur: Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, which developed a technology-based antipiracy solution for NCERT textbooks.
MVAK MOEDoSEL: Likely an abbreviation for a person's name and/or department within the Ministry of Education.
2 June 2025: Duplicate of the earlier mentioned date, reinforcing the release date of the announcement.
Release ID: 2133370: Identification number for the press release.
Ministry of Education
Action taken against criminals involved in
manufacture, distribution and sale of pirated NCERT
textbooks
Posted On: 02 JUN 2025 6:30PM by PIB Delhi
Adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards piracy of NCERT textbooks, which is a cognizable offence under
the Copyright Act, 1957, NCERT in the last 14 months, along with the respective Police authorities, has
seized more than 5 lakh copies of pirated NCERT textbooks, huge quantity of printing paper and machinery
worth more than Rs. 20 Crore, while registering a record 29 FIRs against printers, warehouse owners, and
retailers of pirated NCERT textbooks.
Continuing its drive against such criminals, NCERT, along with the UP Police, conducted a raid on a
warehouse in Muzaffarnagar and seized over 1.5 lakh pirated NCERT textbooks worth over Rs. 2
Crore, one truck, and two cars loaded with pirated textbooks, as well as a large number of printing
plates. Eight accused were arrested on the spot.
In continuation of this action, a printing press in Samalkha (Haryana) was also raided and a large
number of printing plates being used for printing pirated NCERT textbooks, copies of pirated
textbooks, and machinery were seized. Further investigation is underway to identify the
masterminds behind the racket of manufacturing, distributing, and selling pirated NCERT textbooks.
To curb the menace of pirated textbooks, which not only cause revenue loss to NCERT and the
Government but are also a health hazard for school children on account of the poor paper and ink
quality, NCERT has initiated the following steps:
1. Significant improvement in quality of paper and printing of NCERT textbooks;
2. Ensuring timely printing of NCERT textbooks and their availability in adequate numbers in the
market;
3. Proactive action against printers, distributors and retailers of pirated textbooks;
4. Action against paper mill based in Kashipur, manufacturing illegal NCERT watermarked paper;
5. Making NCERT textbooks available on major e-commerce platforms at MRP without delivery
charges; and
6. Introduction of a technology-based anti-piracy solution developed by IIT Kanpur in NCERT
textbooks. This solution has been piloted on 10 lakh copies of one title and shall be scaled up to all titles
in the next academic year, replacing the old watermarked paper, which has become redundant and is
easily copied by pirates.
NCERT shall continue its action against criminals indulging in the printing, distribution and sale of
pirated NCERT textbooks. Students, parents and teachers are requested to kindly bring to the
notice of NCERT any instance of the sale of pirated NCERT textbooks at pd.ncert[at]nic[dot]in.
*****
MV/AK
MOE/DoSEL/2 June 2025/15(Release ID: 2133370)