This notice has been issued by the council since they have found the unauthorized copies of their educational material circulating on websites, social networking sites, chat forums, and others. The counterfeit textbook includes a fake version of the recently launched Social Science book for class 9 titled 'Understanding Society: India & Beyond'.

Concerns Regarding Counterfeit Textbooks

It has been clarified by NCERT that the fake textbooks circulating online have nothing to do with the organization and they can consist of wrong, unauthentic, modified, or made-up material.

It was warned by the council that the students would end up learning wrong things if they studied from such books and that would affect their education.

With the use of digital material rising among students and teachers, it was stressed by NCERT that the educational material should be verified before using them.

Distribution Before Release Not Permitted

As per the warning issued by the organization, NCERT does not permit the distribution of any book prior to its official release.

In other words, the publication of any book prior to its official publication and release by NCERT is illegal and such books are to be taken with caution. As per the notice released by the organization, official books from NCERT can be obtained only after their formal release.

The issue of fake textbook for Class 9 Social Science is a matter of concern since it concerns with the new curriculum that is being implemented.

Legal Steps against Piracy

The notice of NCERT states that the duplication, printing, distribution, scanning and electronic dissemination of copyrighted works by NCERT amounts to copyright infringement.

The organization has informed that legal action is being taken against those who produce and distribute such fake books.

Ways for Students to Access Original Textbooks

In order to stay away from misinformation and any form of confusion related to studies, NCERT has suggested that all students and teachers should only access textbooks from authorized sources.

Authorized sources would be:

Official website of NCERT

ePathshala website

Licensed sellers and book stores

Educational distributors and licensed publishers

NCERT has also requested users not to download textbooks from any websites, social media, mobile application or message forums which offer such books as study material in advance.

Challenge of Educational Piracy

This news brings up an issue faced by educational publishers in the digital age. With the rise in demand for online study material, there have been many instances of pirated versions of books and study guides being made available in the market.

While this has increased access to education, it has also provided room for misinformation and distribution of wrong content.

This is Why It Matters

NCERT textbooks act as vital study materials for countless numbers of students in India and act as the base curriculum for their study.

Inaccurate textbooks or even fake ones can result in misunderstandings and may hamper the studies of students. The current advisory by NCERT is a significant message that education must always come from a trusted and authorized source.

With the advent of technology in the classrooms, it is now equally essential to validate information than access it. A reliable source plays a crucial role in the field of education.