Centre introduces ‘Gyan Post’ to send textbooks at concessional rates

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| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Department of Posts will provide concessional rates for transporting educational materials like textbooks through a service called Gyan Post, modelled on the book post system, Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on Monday (April 28, 2025).

The service will have prices ranging from ₹20 to ₹100, for packages ranging from up to 300 grams to 5kg respectively.

Under Gyan Post, printed materials that are “prescribed in syllabus for correspondence and regular courses for students” by State and Union government education boards or universities will be permitted to be carried through Gyan Post; periodicals like magazines will not be covered under the scheme. 

Real-time tracking

Unlike book post, this product will be eligible for real-time tracking. Mr. Scindia said that while India Post aspired to become profitable, Gyan Post would not be a part of such efforts, as it advanced a “contribution to education”. Educational articles can be sent through this scheme starting May 1.

Book post costs ₹4 for an article that is below 50 grams, and ₹3 extra for every 50 grams above that. As such, individual lightweight textbooks would cost marginally more than book post, but 5kg parcels would be a third of the price.

Any works that are “related with social, cultural and religious nature issued or published in accordance with relevant law of the land” would be eligible for the scheme, the postal department specified in an official notification for Gyan Post.