Lucknow, Apr 7 (APAC Media): The Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education has instructed schools across the state to organise book fairs by April 15 to prohibit the use of unauthorised textbooks in all secondary schools, starting with the 2026-27 academic session.
The initiative, named “Book Awareness and Accessibility Camps,” will focus on providing authorised textbooks at affordable prices. This move is expected to benefit over one crore students enrolled in more than 29,000 schools, particularly those in Classes 9 to 12.
The order was issued by Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh in response to reports of widespread circulation of unauthorised textbooks. These books were sold at rates 149 to 361 per cent higher than the official rates. Private publishers also profited from overpriced guidebooks. Such practices imposed a significant financial burden on students and their families, prompting the board to take proactive measures.
The fairs will be held under strict supervision. Students will have access to around 70 textbooks from NCERT and twelve selected books in Hindi, Sanskrit, and Urdu, ensuring quality educational material is readily available. Additionally, group photos of the event will be uploaded on the UP Board website and sent on designated WhatsApp groups.
The board also emphasised that schools cannot mandate the purchase of unauthorised books. Violation in this regard may attract action against involved principals, managers, and teachers.
To further enhance transparency, textbooks printed from this year will carry a seven digit serial number in ultraviolet fluorescent red ink, making it easy to differentiate genuine books from the unauthorised ones.
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