Bookshop Owner Held For Selling Counterfeit NCERT Books Amid Shortage

When students and teachers needed NCERT textbooks the most, they became hard to find. Shelves emptied. Waiting lists grew. In this gap, a darker trade took root. A city-based bookseller, Jaikishan Binzhani, was caught selling fake NCERT books in his shop on Tilak Road. Police say they found 189 counterfeit copies worth over ₹24,000.
The shortage turned local sellers into a primary source for desperate buyers. Some sellers, knowingly or not, offered counterfeit books that lacked proper hologram security labels and other authenticity markers. For parents and students, spotting the difference was more complicated than they thought.

How It Came to Light

It started with an email. NCERT’s Delhi headquarters received a tip-off that a well-known school in Nagpur was selling fake textbooks. A team led by NCERT assistant professor Venkata Suryavanshi visited the school and confirmed the suspicion.

Their checks didn’t stop there. They went shop to shop, scanning covers, flipping pages, and looking for missing security hologram stickers. It led them straight to Binzhani’s store. Police, under the supervision of senior inspector Ritesh Aher and zonal DCP Rahul Madane, raided the shop and recovered the fake stock.

Let us take a look at the bigger picture:

Why Counterfeit Textbooks Are Dangerous

Fake books are not just about lost money for publishers. They risk spreading errors, misprints, and outdated information to students. During shortages, the danger grows because buyers are less cautious.

Here’s what makes counterfeit textbooks a serious issue:

  • Quality drops significantly: The poor quality of paper, printing, and binding can eventually reduce the lifespan of the book. 
  • Leads to misinformation: Learning outcomes are affected due to printing errors in information, such as diagrams, charts, or texts. 
  • No sign of authentication or tracking: Without the presence of a security hologram sticker or similar identification mark, it is impossible to trace the origin. 

Tracing the Network

Kotwali police are now working to identify where these counterfeit books came from and how far they’ve spread. The case might point to a larger supply chain.

Some of the seized books had fake barcode hologram tags that looked almost like the real thing. Only a trained eye could spot the difference. That’s why authorities stress the need for stronger checks.

What Parents and Students Can Do

Spotting Genuine NCERT Books

You can’t always tell by flipping a few pages, but you can still protect yourself.

Conclusion

Punishing those behind textbook counterfeiting could be a small win, but it’s a reminder of a bigger problem. In times of shortage, counterfeit products thrive. The easiest way to keep fake textbooks out of schools is for buyers to know what to look for and demand proof of authenticity. Shortages might pass but the need for genuine, trustworthy study material with security hologram stickers will never.