Overview

• Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha that authorities have seized 4.71 lakh counterfeit NCERT textbooks between 2024 and 2025.
• Enforcement teams carried out 29 raids on printing and distribution sites, confiscating machinery and stock valued at more than Rs 20 crore under the Copyright Act.
• NCERT has reduced textbook prices by 20 percent, accelerated printing schedules and boosted online sales to diminish the market for pirated copies.
• In collaboration with IIT Kanpur, NCERT tested a patented anti-piracy watermark on one million Grade 6 textbooks to trace and deter unauthorized reproductions.
• Departmental inquiries and legal proceedings are ongoing to dismantle remaining counterfeit networks and hold unscrupulous operators accountable.