“In the next academic year, NCERT will publish 15 crore quality and affordable books....currently it publishes nearly 5 crore textbooks. Earlier there have been concerns about demand and supply issue about the textbooks, however, that will be addressed now,” Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters. File  | Photo Credit: Sansad TV

NCERT textbooks to cost less from 2025, new books for classes 9-12 by 2026: Dharmendra Pradhan

by · The Hindu

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks for some classes will cost less from next year, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Tuesday (December 17, 2024).

The Council, which currently prints 5 crore textbooks in a year, is working to augment the capacity to 15 crore from next year, he said. The minister also informed that the new textbooks as per updated curriculum for classes 9-12 will be available from 2026-27 academic session.

"In the next academic year, NCERT will publish 15 crore quality and affordable books....currently it publishes nearly 5 crore textbooks. Earlier there have been concerns about demand and supply issue about the textbooks, however, that will be addressed now," Mr. Pradhan told reporters. "Since, the volume of printing of books is going to be hight, the prices of textbooks for some classes will be reduced. However, the price will not be increased for any class to ensure there is no financial burden on parents," he added.

The minister informed that the process of updating of textbooks as per new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is on.

"The process is on and textbooks for classes 9-12 will be ready by 2026-27 academic session," he said.

Published - December 17, 2024 02:40 pm IST