Textbook sales in Tamil Nadu cross Rs 60 cr-mark as schools reopen

The Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation (TTESC) was entrusted to print contents for all three terms of classes 1 to 7 and annual textbooks for classes 8 to 12.

A senior official from the School Education Department, seeking anonymity, said, last year, the sales of textbooks were lower than usual and it has improved this year.

“Previous year, the sales were for only about Rs 40 crore. This year, the revenue has increased by more than 7 per cent, which fetched Rs 64 crore,” he claimed. Stating that more than 1.12 crore textbooks were sold, he said, “authorities were hoping that this trend will continue.”

However, the official said the State government is determined to continue to distribute free textbooks to students in government and government-aided schools.

“The textbook sales would increase when lower classes are open,” he said. “For students studying in classes 1 to 12, textbooks are printed by the corporation using 80 grams per square meter (GSM) elegant printing paper and 230 GSM aura fold blue board for wrapper with lamination. All textbooks are printed with QR Codes,” he said.

The official added that the GSM will be improved as per the requirements in the future. “Apart from spending about Rs 300 crore, a total of 2,52,77,272 workbooks and 97,94,688 number of Bridge Course materials have been printed and delivered to 120 District Educational Officers, which were subsequently distributed to students,” he added.