Govt sets textbook rates

KATHMANDU, Dec 3: Government has set the rates for textbooks prescribed for the students from grade one to the higher secondary level. The Textbook Rate Fixation Committee on Sunday endorsed the rate under three categories based on the quality of the paper and colors used.



The committee has set 89 paisa (Re 0.89) per page for black and white books, Re 1 per page for books printed in two other colors other than black and white and Rs 1.5 for multicolored page, informed Suprabhat Bhandari, member of the committee and chairman of Guardians Association.[break]



The committee has also issued a guideline for the textbooks publishers whereby they are required to issue the list of books published by them and the prices in the media in the beginning of the new academic session.



“If the publishers are found manipulating the rates then the committee can recommend to the Ministry of Education to scrap their business licenses,” said Bhandari. However, the publishers can revise the book rates once a year.



Earlier in October, the Department of Education had issued a directive to the private and boarding schools to regulate the monthly fees, curricular charges and admission fees following a Supreme Court verdict. The department also directed schools not to precribe unapproved and expensive books to students.

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