Fake NCERT Books: U'khand Police Cracks down on Fake NCERT Racket, Seize Books worth 10 lakhs
Nearly 10 lakh fake NCERT books worth over ₹9 crore seized in Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur. Police uncover large-scale textbook piracy network.
Key Points
- Uttarakhand police seized 10 lakh fake NCERT books worth Rs 9 crore.
- Books intercepted on March 14 lacked valid e-way bill, leading to warehouse discovery.
- Fake books identified by poor quality, incorrect binding, and forged ACERT mark.
Massive Fake NCERT Book Racket Busted in Uttarakhand. In a major crackdown, police in Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur have seized nearly 10 lakh counterfeit NCERT textbooks valued at over ₹9 crore, exposing a large-scale academic fraud network. The operation was carried out in Udham Singh Nagar district following a tip-off about illegal transportation of books.
According to officials, a vehicle carrying books was intercepted near Anandam Resort on the night of March 14. Suspicion arose when the driver failed to produce a valid e-way bill and documents showed discrepancies.
Further interrogation led police to a warehouse in Kiratpur Koleda, where a massive stockpile of around 9.5 lakh additional books was discovered. In total, 9,74,085 fake textbooks were seized from the vehicle and warehouse combined.
How Fake Books Were Identified
Officials from the education department and NCERT confirmed that the books were counterfeit after inspection. The fake copies had poor printing quality, inferior paper, and incorrect binding. Notably, instead of the official NCERT watermark, the books carried a forged marking labelled “ACERT”.
Legal Action and Investigation
Police have registered a case against the warehouse operator and other individuals involved. Authorities believe the seizure points to a wider illegal printing and distribution network operating across states. A detailed investigation is underway to trace the source and identify all those linked to the racket.
The seizure highlights the growing issue of counterfeit educational materials in India. Authorities have urged students, parents, and schools to purchase NCERT books only from authorised sources to avoid falling prey to such frauds and to ensure quality education.
Apeksha Agarwal is an Education Journalist with over 3.5 years of experience. She covers a wide range of topics, including school board examinations, entrance tests, admissions, results, scholarships, and higher education updates. Over the years, she has closely tracked major examinations such as JEE Main, NEET UG, CUET, and various state-level entrance exams, helping students stay informed throughout their academic journey. Apeksha has a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a certificate in Digital Journalism. She is passionate about transforming complex educational developments into clear, accessible, and useful information. Her reporting focuses on providing students, parents, and educators with accurate updates and practical insights on examinations, results, and policy changes. She believes that quality education journalism can make a meaningful difference by helping students make informed decisions about their future.
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