Lucknow, Apr 10 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government will now track and trace the distribution of over 12 crore textbooks at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic session.

The online tracking system will be based on QR (Quick Read) code technology and seeks to distribute 16 crore books to 1.8 crore students from classes 1 to 8, each year.

The online QR code mechanism -- unique to each textbook -- has been prepared in collaboration with a private IT firm.

On a pilot basis, the education department will implement the Workbook Textbook Management System (WTMS) in 1,000 schools in Lucknow this month.

The system will ensure timely, transparent and paperless distribution of free textbooks among students.

The online tracking system seeks to track books right from the text book corporation (printers) where they are printed to distribution among children at the school level.

Director general school education, Vijay Kiran Anand said: "The WTMS module will help us in tracking of the books at the various levels -- printers, blocks, districts, clusters and schools. This way, we can identify the level at which the distribution is getting delayed and expedite it. We will also know the accurate number of books getting delivered in schools."