Every year the department's primary section distributes textbooks free of cost to the students studying in classes I to V in government-sponsored schools. The department procures paper required for printing textbooks from Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL), a Government of India undertaking. The work of printing books on a lump sum basis and their distribution to the district godowns was assigned to Saraswaty Press Limited (SPL), which is a state owned company.

For the academic year 2006-2007, the department instructed SPL in August 2005 to directly purchase the paper required for printing textbooks from HPCL. Following the instruction, SPL placed the order for supplying 4,785 tonnes of paper with HPCL in November 2005. In between December 2005 and March 2006, HPCL supplied 4,188 tonnes of paper amounting to Rs 13.02 crore, of which, Rs 1.83 crore was spent on excise duty. According to Central excise exemption norms, the department can avail an exemption from excise duty if they place the procurement order for paper for nationalised textbooks (NT) directly to the supplier. In order to enjoy the exemption facility, the department has to declare the entire quantity of excise-exempted papers will be utilised for printing of NT books only.