Publishers in bad books over pricing

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Despite hue and cry over overpriced textbooks in the market and clamour from guardians to bring things in order, publishers and booksellers seem not to be giving two hoots about the trouble facing the parents and schoolchildren.

Textbook publishing houses have been fixing their own price for books, flouting the regulation issued by the Curriculum Development Centre.

As per CDC directives, publishing houses can charge for books depending upon the printing process. According to CDC, it costs Rs 1.25 per page to print an 18cm × 24 cm size book with four-colour printing. Similarly, CDC says it costs Rs 1.05 per page to print a two-colour book and Re 0.90 per page for a black and white book. The publication in several other textbooks has not even mentioned the price but instead has put: ‘The price is mentioned in the catalogue’.

Founder of the publication, Nawanidhi Panta, admitted that the books, most of them published four years ago, were reprints with some changes in covers and were being sold with increased price.

CDC Director Dilli Luintel termed such practice a case of fraud. But Panta blamed lack of clear policy for the current situation.

After receiving complaints, Bhaktapur District Administration Office has initiated action against book publishing houses under Black Marketing Act. The publishing houses that are under scanner are Ekta, Koselee, Satyal, Athrai, Vidhyarthi, Asia, Small, Pabson, Unique Educational, Kantipur Education Development Centre and Taleju.

Sell JEMC textbooks only: DEO

CHARIKOT: District Education Office, Dolakha, has ordered booksellers not to sell textbooks other than those published by Janak Education Materials Centre after complaints that market was full of sub-standard textbooks. DEO wrote to the district chapter of Nepal Books and Stationery Federation asking the federation not to sell textbooks other than those published by JEMC.