Pay more for kids' workbooks in UP

If you are a resident of Uttar Pradesh, be prepared to pay extra bucks for workbooks, graph books and laboratory books in the new academic session, beginning April.

Under the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime, the state has clubbed workbooks with copies instead of books, hence inviting a four per cent tax. “All education systems in India and abroad are becoming more and more interactive thus making workbooks an indispensable part of the curriculum,” said SC Sethi, president of Federation of Indian Publishers and Booksellers Association. UP is the only state that has imposed tax on workbooks, he added.

World over, the study material is divided into two parts — books and copies. While books are always exempted from any kind of tax, copies are taxed because there is no creative input and they involve conversion of paper on a large scale.

The state government’s decision to tax workbooks has invited widespread criticism from parents. ‘‘I spend one-fifth of my salary on quality education for my children; another substantial part goes into the saving for their future. Now, if their workbooks and graph books would be taxed, it will put additional burden,’’ said Amar Jeet Singh, a government officer.

A group of publishers has submitted a representation before the commercial tax department and chief minister Mayawati for a review. But a positive response is still awaited. Publishers fear a shortage of workbooks in the next session. While admitting that VAT has been imposed on workbooks, commercial tax commissioner Sunil Kumar refused to comment on the issue.

India is a signatory to a UNESCO resolution wherein it was agreed that the country would work to make education affordable and cheaper. The Indian Publishers and Booksellers Association is also a signatory to this resolution. "Workbooks are a subsidiary of the main text books and therefore cannot be taxed," said C P Gupta, a city-based bookseller.

Source : Times of India - India  dated 09/03/2008