The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has launched the PSEB Pustak Portal, an e-commerce platform that allows students, parents and schools to order textbooks written and printed by PSEB online. The initiative aims to improve access to authentic textbooks, make learning materials more affordable and prevent private booksellers from overcharging.According to PSEB, more than 12 lakh students from Punjab are expected to benefit from the portal. The textbooks will be available at a fixed discount of 15%, resulting in an estimated annual saving of nearly Rs 2.15 crore to students and parents. President of the PSEB Dr. Amarpal Singh, Retd. IAS, said the board is the first education board in the country to introduce an e-commerce portal for sale and delivery of textbooks.Direct ordering system for students and schoolsStudents, parents and schools can place orders directly through the portal. The educational centers will facilitate the distribution of books but will not charge any amount beyond the rates established by the PSEB. The agreement aims to ensure that textbooks are supplied at uniform prices and to eliminate the possibility of overcharging by private booksellers.The board has printed 2.25 million copies covering 361 titles of textbooks in Punjabi, English and Hindi for distribution through the new system.Multiple pickup and delivery optionsTo improve accessibility, PSEB has established 97 drop-off and collection centers across Punjab. Books collected from these centers will not incur any additional charges. Students can also visit PSEB district offices to purchase textbooks directly and get the same 15% discount.For home delivery, PSEB has partnered with India Post under the Gyan Post program for school students. Shipping charges have been fixed at favorable rates ranging from Rs 20 to a maximum of Rs 100 for shipments up to 5 kg.Students in government schools continue to receive free booksGovernment school students will continue to get textbooks free of cost from the state government. For the academic session 2026-27, the books have already been delivered to public schools.The 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 facilitating access to official learning material through online and offline channels.