Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has launched PSEB Pustak Portal, an e-commerce platform that enables students, parents and schools to order books published by PSEB in print and online. The aim of the project is to improve access to accurate books, make learning materials more affordable and avoid being overcrowded by private booksellers.According to PSEB, more than 12 lakh students across Punjab are expected to benefit from the portal. Books will be available at a 15% discount, resulting in a saving of around Rs 2.15 crore per year for students and parents. Chairman of PSEB Dr. Amarpal Singh, Retd. IAS, said that the institution is the first educational institution in the country to launch an e-commerce site for selling and shipping books.Direct ordering system for students and schoolsStudents, parents and schools can order directly through the portal. Schools will help distribute books but will not charge any fees beyond the prices prescribed by PSEB. The plan aims to ensure that books are offered at comparable prices and to remove the possibility of overcharging private booksellers.The organization has printed 2.25 crore copies of 361 book titles in Punjabi, English and Hindi for distribution through this new system.Multiple collection and delivery optionsFor easy accessibility, PSEB has established 97 shipping and handling centers in Punjab. Books collected from these sites will not generate additional revenue. Students can also go to PSEB district offices to buy books directly and get 15% discount there.For home delivery, PSEB has partnered with India Post under the Gyan Post Scheme for school students. The delivery charges have been fixed at official rates, ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 100 for most packages weighing up to 5 kg.Public school children to continue receiving free booksPublic school students will continue to receive free books from the state government. For the 2026-27 academic session, the textbooks have already been distributed to public schools.PSEB said that the new portal has been designed to ensure timely delivery of authentic textbooks, improve transparency in distribution and provide access to students and parents across Punjab and make access to official textbooks easy through online and offline channels.