Catering to the demands of private publishers, the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research, Pune (Balbharati) has again, on Saturday, revised the textbook copyright policy for the former. One of the suggestions that has been considered is that publishers be allowed to apply online for license and to register online too. Private publishers had recently met education minister Vinod Tawde to request him for certain changes in the textbook copyright policy. On 9 March, Balbharati announced that to curb commercialisation of education, all books from Classes 1 to 10 will be subject to copyright. The notice also stated that legal action will be taken against anybody publishing excerpts from a Balbharati textbook without required permission. The bureau announced its Textbook Copyright Policy on 25 May, restricting private publishers — including print, digital and class owners — from issuing supplementary books for the academic year 2018-19. The Maharashtra Class Owner's Association appealed to the government to abolish the copyright policy for them while digital publishers requested implementation of the policy for them after three years. However, print publishers suggested that the publishers can be charged as per the turnover of their business. The publishers can apply for the license if their business turnover is over Rs 15 lakh. The cost of license have been revised separately for print, digital and coaching classes, depending upon their business turnover. However, the business will bear the brunt, claim regional publishers. Salman Shaikh (name changed), a regional print publisher from South Mumbai, said, "It is good that the bureau has made little changes in the policy. But this will affect regional publishers. We won't be able to do our business beyond Rs 15 lakh. We will have to come out with limited supplementary books for students." Sachin Karnavat, President, Maharashtra Class Owners' Association, said, "Partly happy that the government is sensitive to our problems. But partly disappointed that it (the policy) is not abolished as once it starts it never stops but just goes on increasing like service tax/GST."

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