The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Friday seized thousands of fake textbooks from a printing unit in Ghaziabad. NCERT officials, along with the Delhi Police Crime Branch, carried out the raid to stop the illegal printing of counterfeit NCERT books.
After receiving information, the Crime Branch raided a printing unit in Village Jawli, Loni, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh). During the raid, the police found around 32,000 pirated NCERT books meant for different classes and subjects. They also seized two printing machines, aluminium plates, paper rolls, and printing ink, showing that large-scale illegal printing was happening, according to an ANI report.
Action linked to earlier FIR
The action was taken based on clues from an earlier case (FIR No. 336/2025, dated 11.11.2025) registered by the Crime Branch under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Copyright Act, 1957.
Officials from NCERT’s Publication Division were present during the raid. They helped the police identify and confirm which books were pirated. NCERT once again stressed that printing, distributing or selling NCERT textbooks without permission is a crime.
Such illegal printing not only breaks copyright laws but also harms students and the education system because pirated books often have poor quality and wrong information. NCERT has urged people to buy textbooks only from authorised sellers and report any suspected piracy cases to them or local authorities.
Over half of NCERT posts vacant
Meanwhile, according to data presented in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, NCERT is working with more than half of its posts empty. Out of 2,844 sanctioned posts across its headquarters, regional institutes, and departments, only 1,219 are filled, leaving 1,625 vacancies across Group A, B, and C.
This information was given by the Ministry of Education in response to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam, who asked about vacancies, contractual appointments and permanent recruitment at NCERT in the past five years.
For example, at the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), only 45 out of 116 posts are filled. At NERIE, only 26 out of 55 positions are occupied.