Maharashtra Fights Textbook Counterfeiting with QR Codes and Awareness Drive

The Maharashtra government will initiate an awareness campaign to combat the counterfeiting of textbooks produced by Balbharati. QR codes will be implemented to authenticate genuine copies. Over 20,000 fake textbooks were seized in Nagpur. The campaign aims to inform students, parents, and booksellers through media in May and June.

The Maharashtra government is set to launch a proactive awareness campaign targeting the sale and distribution of counterfeit educational textbooks. This initiative, spearheaded by the official state agency Balbharati, seeks to ensure that students and educators have access to genuine materials.

More than 20,000 counterfeit copies were recently intercepted in Nagpur, drawing attention to the significant issue of illegal textbook production. The School Education Minister, Dadaji Bhuse, revealed that the unauthorized copies were detected during a December 2025 raid at a private printing press in the Hingna MIDC area.

In response to these developments, regional officials have been instructed to intensify inspections and monitoring of private printing establishments. Furthermore, genuine textbooks will feature QR codes as a verification tool, while educational campaigns through media outlets in May and June aim to raise awareness among students, parents, and booksellers.

(With inputs from agencies.)