BHAKTAPUR: Janak Education Materials Center (JEMC) plans to raise the prices of textbooks from the coming academic session.

JEMC managing director Birendra Kumar Das said the centre has not raised the prices of textbooks for the last 12 years while the prices of paper, ink and other inputs have increased regularly. He said the centre has sent a letter to the Ministry of Education for its approval to raise the prices. At present, the centre is selling textbooks at the rate of 18 paisa per page. He added that the centre used to buy paper at Rs 55,000 per tonnes in the past but the price has gone up to Rs 81,000 per tonne now. The price of ink and other inputs have also gone up in the same ratio, he claimed. Das also said the centre will lay off over 260 staff through the OD system to avert losses.