PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
In a written reply to a question asked in Parliament by Haridwar MP and former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary stated that currently, all printed books, including Braille books, are completely exempt from GST. “Therefore, the question of imposing GST on medical and educational books does not arise,” he wrote.
Explaining things further, he stated that GST rates and exemptions are determined based on the recommendations of the GST Council. The GST Council is a constitutional body consisting of representatives from the Central Government and all States/Union Territories, he wrote. He further stated that since printed books are already exempt from GST, no additional action is needed to exempt them from GST or place them in the lowest slab.
He added that the Centre is committed to ensuring that students are not forced to bear unnecessary financial burdens in the field of education and the necessary policy provisions are already in place to this end.
Rawat had stated that students and learners involved in important fields like education and medicine should not face any additional financial burden. “The government’s clarification that printed books are not subject to GST is reassuring for students and parents,” he said, sounding satisfied with the Union Minister’s reply.
He further said that education is the foundation of nation-building. “So quality education should be accessible and affordable. If any practical difficulties arise in the future, they will be effectively raised in the relevant forums,” he said and reiterated his commitment
to protecting the interests of students and strengthening education.
