Textbook prices to increase by 10-20% due to paper cost rise

Starting from the academic year 2023-2024, state government schools in Maharashtra will provide textbooks with detachable pages to ease the burden on students. However, due to the rise in paper prices, the cost of textbooks will increase by 10 to 20 per cent, according to the Maharashtra State Textbook Production and Curriculum Research Board.

Last year in October, Deepak Kesarkar, the state school education minister, announced the addition of blank pages in textbooks. The school education department later confirmed the government's decision to implement this from the next academic year, starting in June. Textbooks for classes 3 to 8 will have additional pages and textbooks for classes 2 to 8 will be divided into four parts. However, this addition of pages will result in a price increase for the textbooks.

"Blank pages will be included in textbooks here. However, prices of paper have increased significantly. The government has to buy paper, so we are evaluating how much paper will be required and what size the books will be. This will increase the prices of books. can't say anything about it right now," said Krishnakumar Patil director of Maharashtra State Textbook Production and Curriculum Research Board.