The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has launched the PSEB Pustak Portal, an e-commerce platform that enables students, parents and schools to order PSEB-authored and printed textbooks online. The initiative aims to improve access to authentic textbooks, make learning materials more affordable and prevent overcharging by private booksellers.According to PSEB, more than 12 lakh students across Punjab are expected to benefit from the portal. Textbooks will be available at a flat 15% discount, leading to an estimated annual saving of nearly Rs 2.15 crore for students and parents. PSEB Chairman Dr Amarpal Singh, Retd. IAS, said the board is the first education board in the country to introduce an e-commerce portal for the sale and delivery of textbooks.Direct ordering system for students and schoolsStudents, parents and schools can place orders directly through the portal. Schools will facilitate the distribution of books but will not collect any amount beyond the rates prescribed by PSEB. The arrangement is intended to ensure that textbooks are supplied at uniform prices and to remove the possibility of excess charges by private booksellers.The board has printed 2.25 crore copies covering 361 textbook titles in Punjabi, English and Hindi medium for distribution through the new system.Multiple collection and delivery optionsTo improve accessibility, PSEB has established 97 delivery and pick-up centres across Punjab. Books collected from these centres will not incur any additional charges. Students can also visit PSEB district offices to purchase textbooks directly and receive the same 15% discount.For home delivery, PSEB has partnered with India Post under the Gyan Post Scheme for school students. Delivery charges have been fixed at concessional rates, ranging from Rs 20 to a maximum of Rs 100 for consignments weighing up to 5 kg.Government school students to continue receiving free booksGovernment school students will continue to receive textbooks free of cost from the state government. For the academic session 2026-27, the books have already been delivered to government schools.PSEB stated that the new portal is designed to ensure timely delivery of genuine textbooks, improve transparency in the distribution process and provide greater convenience to students and parents across Punjab while making official learning material easier to obtain through both online and offline channels.
