PUNJAB CURRICULUM AND TEXTBOOK BOARD ACT 2015

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THE PUNJAB CURRICULUM AND TEXTBOOK BOARD ACT 
2015 
(VI of 2015) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Establishment and incorporation 
4. Appointment and duties of members 
5. Managing Director 
6. Disqualification and removal 
7. Meetings of the Board 
8. Advisory Council 
9. Power and functions of the Board 
10. Prohibition 
11. Committees 
12. Technical experts 
13. Policy directions of the Government 
14. Offence and penalty 
15. Forfeiture 
16. Cognizance and trial 
17. Officers of the Board 
18. Delegation of powers 
19. Employees to be public servants 
20. Fund 
21. Budget 
22. Maintenance of accounts 
23. Annual report 
24. Audit 
25. Rules 
26. Regulations 
27. Protection of acts and orders 
28. Appeal 
29. Act to have overriding effect 
30. Repeal and savings 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB CURRICULUM AND TEXTBOOK BOARD ACT 2015 
(VI of 2015) 
[26th February, 2015] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the establishment of the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board. 
Whereas it is expedient to make arrangements for the formulation 
and implementation of curricula; development and approval of textbooks, 
manuscripts and supplementary reading material relating to textbooks; 
production of reference and research material in respect of the problems 
relating to the schemes of studies and preparation of textbooks and such 
other conduct of research in the field of curricula, textbooks and other 
reading material; and, to provide for ancillary matters; 
It is enacted as follows: 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. – (1) This Act may be cited 
as the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Act 2015. 
(2) It extends to the whole of the Punjab. 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act: 
(a) “Advisory Council” means the Advisory Council constituted under the 
Act; 
(b) “agency 
2
[”] means any department or organization or directorate of the 
Government and includes a corporation or other autonomous or semi -
autonomous body set up by the Government; 
(c) “Board” means Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board established 
under the Act; 
(d) “Committee” means a committee of the Board; 
(e) “Director” means the head of a wing of the Board appointed by the 
Government; 
(f) “Fund” means Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Fund; 
(g) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(h) “institution” means a school or an intermediate college and includes 
such other educational establishment or organization in p ublic or 
                                                           
1This Act wa s passed by the Punjab Assembly on 23rd February, 2015; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 25th 
February, 2015; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 26th  February, 2015, Pages 2437-2443. 
2Misprinted in the Gazette. 
private  sector as the Government may, by notification, declare as an 
institution
3
[;] 
(i) “Managing Director” means the Managing Director of the Board; 
(j) “member” means a member of the Board; 
(k) “prescribed” means prescribed by rule s or regulations made under the 
Act; 
(l) “regulations” mean the regulations framed under the Act; 
(m) “rules” mean the rules made under the Act; 
(n) “Secretary” means the secretary of the Board; 
(o) “supplementary material” includes guides, guess papers , get through 
guides or any other reading material ancillary to a textbook, supports 
implementation and enhancement of learning given in curricula and  
which is printed, published or sold by any person or agency wi th the 
prior permission of the Board; and 
(p) “textbook” means a book or work developed in accordance with the 
curricula. 
3. Establishment and incorporation .– (1) There shall be established a Board 
to be known as Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board for carrying out the purposes 
of this Act. 
(2) The Board shall be a body corporate, shall have power to acquire, ho ld 
and transfer property, shall have perpetual succession and common seal and shall 
by the said name sue and be sued. 
(3) The organizational set-up of the Board shall, amongst others, consist of 
the following five job specific wings: 
(a) Curricula Wing; 
(b) Manuscripts Wing; 
(c) Production Wing; 
(d) Administration Wing; 
(e) Finance Wing; 
(4) A Wing of the Board shall be headed by a Director. 
(5) The Board shall consist of the following: 
(a) Chairperson; 
(b) Secretary to the Government, Finance Department  or his nominee not  
below the rank of an Additional Secretary; 
(c) Secretary to the Government, School Education Department or his 
nominee not below the rank of an Additional Secretary. 
(d) Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department or his  
nominee not below the rank of an Additional Secretary; 
                                                           
3Misprinted in the Gazette. 
(e) Secretary to the Government, Literacy Department or his nominee not 
below the rank of an Additional Secretary; 
(f) Chairman, Punjab Examination Commission  or his nominee not below 
the rank of officer BS-19; 
(g) Chairman, Punjab Education Foundation  or his nominee not below the 
rank of officer BS-19; 
(h) Programme Director, Directorate of Staff Development; 
(i) a Chairman Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education to be 
nominated by the Minister for Education; 
(j) five persons including at least two women, from amongst the 
academicians, professionals and technocrats, having known and 
certified expertise relating to curricula and textbooks development; 
(k) three teachers of schools, one from public sector and one from private 
sector including at least one female teacher;  
(l) Managing Director; and 
(m) a m ember of the Provincial Assembly who is an  academician, 
professional or a technocrat having known expertise relating to 
curricula or textbooks development. 
4. Appointment and duties of members .– (1) The Government shall appoint 
the Chairperson and members other than the ex-officio members. 
(2) The Chairperson or a member other than an ex-officio member shall: 
(a) hold officer for a term of three years unless he resigns or removed from 
office by the Government before the expiry of his tenure; 
(b) be eligible for re-appointment; 
(c) receive such allowances as the Government may determine; and 
(d) perform such duties and functions as are assigned under the Act, rules 
and regulations. 
(3) A person appointed as chairperson or  member shall divest himself of 
any other directorship or other interest held by  him in any corporation, company or 
concern which has any dealing with the Board. 
(4) No act or proceedings of the Board shall be invalid merely on the 
ground of the existence of any vacancy or any defect in the constitution of the Board. 
5. Managing Direc tor.– The Government shall appoint the Managing Director 
who shall be the chief executive officer of the Board  and who shall work under the 
general supervision of the Board. 
6. Disqualification and removal .– (1) No person shall be or shall continue to 
be the chairperson, member or Managing Director who is: 
(a) convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude; or 
(b) adjudicated as an insolvent; or 
(c) declared a lunatic or a person of unsound mind; or 
(d) dismissed from the service of Pakistan. 
(2) The Go vernment may, by order in writing, remove the Chairperson, 
member or Managing Director, if he: 
(a) refuses or fails to discharge or becomes, in the opinion of the 
Government, incapable of discharging his responsibilities under this 
Act; or 
(b) has, in the opinion of the Government, abused his position; or 
(c) has knowingly acquired or continued to hold without the  permission in 
writing of the Government, directly or indirectly, or through a partner, 
any share or interest in any contract or employment with o r by or on 
behalf of the Board or in any land on property which, in his knowledge, 
is likely to benefit or has benefited as a result of the operations of the 
Board. 
7. Meetings of the Board .– (1) The Board shall meet at such time and place 
and in such manner as may be prescribed. 
(2) The Chairperson shall preside over a meeting of the Board and in his 
absence, members present shall elect a member to preside the meeting of the 
Board. 
(3) Seven members shall be present to constitute a quorum at a meeting 
of the Board. 
(4) Each member shall have one vote, but in the event of equal votes, the 
Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote. 
(5) The minutes of every meeting of the Board stating among other things 
the names of the members present, shall be drawn -up and recorded in a book to be 
kept for the purpose, and shall be signed by the person presiding the meeting, and 
such book shall be open to inspection with the prior permission of the Chairperson. 
(6) All decisions of the Board shall be authenticated unde r the signatures 
of the Chairperson and the Managing Director. 
8. Advisory Council.– (1) The Board shall have an Advisory Council consisting 
of the following as its members: 
(a) Chairperson of the Board; 
(b) Managing Director and Directors; 
(c) Directors o f Public Instructions in the Punjab and the Programme 
Director of Directorate of staff Development, Chief Executive  Officer of 
Punjab Education Commission; 
(d) Chairmen of the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in 
the Punjab; 
(e) a Vice-Chancellor of a University in the Punjab to be nominated by the 
Government for a term of three years; and 
(f) three curriculum experts including at least one woman to be nominated 
by the Government for a term of the three years. 
(2) Five member present shall cons titute the quorum for a meeting of the 
Advisory Council. 
(3) The Chairperson of the Board shall preside the meeting and , in his 
absence, members present shall elect a member to preside the meeting of the 
Advisory Council. 
(4) The Advisory Council shall adv ise the Board in  the performance of its 
functions under this Act. 
9. Power and functions of the Board.– (1) The Board may take such  
measures and exercise such powers as it considers necessary or expedient  for 
carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, the  Board 
may: 
(a) undertake any work; 
(b) incur any expenditure; 
(c) procure plant, machinery and material required for its use; 
(d) acquire by purchase,  lease, exchange or otherwise any  material or 
machinery or any interest therein; and 
(e) enter into and per form all such contracts as it may  consider necessary 
or expedient for purposes of this Act.  
(3) The Board shall prepare and execute schemes pertaining to any  of the 
following matters: 
(a) implementation of the educational policies of the Government in 
respect of the curricula, textbook  manuscripts, development, approval, 
production and  publication of the text -books and supplementary 
material; 
(b) development, implementation, evaluation and updating of curricula; 
(c) preparation of schemes of studies ,curricula,  manuscripts of the 
textbooks and schedul es or strategy for its introduc tion in various 
classes of an institution; 
(d) approval of manuscripts of the textbook and supplementary  material 
produced by a person or an agency before they are prescribed in 
various classes of an institution; 
(e) arrangement for the  development, production and publication of 
textbook and supplementary material relating to the textbooks; 
(f) laying down specification t o regulate and control  production, printing, 
publication and sale of textbooks and other supplementary material; 
(g) production of reference and research material relating to  the problems 
of curricula and preparation of textbooks; 
(h) regulate and control printing, publication and sale of textbooks  and 
supplementary material; 
(i) control of the policy relating to the distribution of  text-books and 
supplementary material,  and the appointment of agencies for that 
purpose; 
(j) holding of training courses  for the compilers and reviewers of curricula 
and writers of text-books; 
(k) holding workshops and seminars for effective use of text -books and 
supplementary materials; 
(l) conduct of research in curricula, textbooks and supplementary  
materials; 
(m) exhibitions of textbooks and supplementary materials; 
(n) maintenance of a library including mobile library; and 
(o) implementation of general policy of the Government relating to 
performance of its functions. 
10. Prohibition.– (1) No person shall, except with the p rior approval  of the 
Board, print, publish, sell or prescribe in an institution any textbook or supplementary 
material. 
(2) An application for approval to print, publish, sell or prescribe in an 
institution a textbook or supplementary material shall be ma de in such manner and 
form and on the payment of such fee as may be prescribed.  
4[(2a) Any textbook or curriculum on religion with contents or matter related to 
Islam including Islamiyat, History, Pakistan Studies, Urdu, Literature or any other 
subject material related to religion shall not be published before taking prior approval 
from the Muttahida Ulema Board Punjab and the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook 
Board shall be bound to take such approval from Muttahida Ulema Board, Punjab.] 
(3) The Board may dir ect any person to amend, delete or withdraw any 
portion or the whole of curriculum, textbook or supplementary material. 
(4) The Board may prohibit any person or agency from producing, printing, 
publishing, selling or using in an institution any textbook or  supplementary material 
or any part of it. 
(5) The Board shall not approve the printing, publication, selling or 
prescribing in an institution of any textbook or supplementary material which is or is 
likely to be detrimental for examination or assessment p urposes, or which contains 
anything repugnant to the injunctions of Islam, or contrary to the integrity, defence or 
security of Pakistan or any part of Pakistan, public order or morality.  
(6) If the Board issues a direction or prohibition under subsection s (3) or 
(4) to a person or an agency, such person or agency shall, within the time 
specified by the Board, submit an implementation report to the Board. 
11. Committees.– (1) The Board may appoint such administrative, financial, 
technical and other committees as it may consider necessary. 
                                                           
4Inserted by the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (Amendment) Act 2020  (VII of 2020), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 12 June 2020, pp.4219, s. 2. 
(2) The constitution, functions and duties of the committees shall be such 
as may be prescribed. 
12. Technical experts.– The Board, Advisory Council or a Committee may incite 
any technical expert or other person possessing  specialized knowledge of any 
subject for assistance in the performance of its functions. 
13. Policy directions of the Government .– (1) the Government may, in the 
prescribed manner, issue policy guidelines and directions to the Board. 
(2) Subject to this A ct, in the performance of its functions, the Board shall 
implement the education policy of the Government and the guidelines and directions 
given to it under subsection (1). 
(3) The Managing Director shall ensure that the general policy, guidelines 
and directions received from the Government are faithfully implemented. 
14. Offence and penalty.– (1) If a person to whom a direction or prohibition has 
been issued under this Act, fail to carry out the direct or prohibition, he shall be liable 
to punishment of i mprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or fine or 
both. 
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law and in addition to 
prosecution of the person under subsection (1), the Board may impose or 
recommend to the concerned authority an y one or more of the following actions 
against such person: 
(a) initiation of disciplinary action for gross misconduct; 
(b) revocation of license or permit or cancellation of any registration 
pertaining to printing, publication or sale of any book, newspap er or 
any other supplementary reading material under any law; and 
(c) disqualify the person for registration or grant of any license or 
permission under any law relating to printing, publication or sale of any 
book, newspaper or any other supplementary rea ding material for a 
maximum period  of five years. 
15. Forfeiture.– On conviction for an offence under this Act, all copies of the book 
purporting to be the textbook or supplementary material, in respect or which the 
offence had been committed, shall stand forfeited to the Board. 
16. Cognizance and trial .– (1) No court shall cognizance of an offence 
punishable under this Act except on a report in writing made by an officer of the 
Board authorized by the purpose. 
(2) An offence under this Act shall be triabl e by a  Magistrate of the first 
class. 
(3) The Magistrate competent to try an offence under this section may try 
offence in a summary manner in accordance with the provisions of sections 260 to 
265 of the Code of Criminal procedure, 1898 (V of 1898). 
17. Officers of the Board.– (1) The following shall be the officers of the Board: 
(a) Managing Director; 
(b) Directors; 
(c) Secretary; and 
(d) such other officers as may be appointed by the Board. 
(2) The Board may employ such officers and servants or appoint su ch 
whole-time or part -time experts or consultants as it may consider necessary for the 
performance of its functions. 
18. Delegation of powers .– (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Board may 
delegate to a committee, the Managing Director, a Director or any other officer any of 
its powers, duties and functions, under this Act and subject to such conditions as it 
may think fit to impose. 
(2) The Board shall not delegate the following functions: 
(a) frame, amend or repeal regulations; 
(b) constitute a committee or fill a vacancy in a committee; 
(c) take policy decisions; and 
(d) approve the annual budget, audited accounts and the annual reports. 
19. Employees to be public servants .– The Managing Director, Directors, 
officers and servants of the Board shall, when acting or purporting to act in 
pursuance of any of the provisions of this Act, be deemed to be public servants 
within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860). 
20. Fund.– (1) There shall be established a Fund to be known as the Punjab 
Curriculum and Textbook Board Fund which shall be administered and controlled by 
the Board. 
(2) The Fund shall consist of: 
(a) grants from the Government or the Federal Government; 
(b) donations or grants from any person, local, national or inte rnational 
organization or agency; 
(c) fees, charges, fines or confiscations under this Act; and  
(d) income from any other source. 
21. Budget.– In the month of April each year, the Managing Director shall submit 
a statement of the estimated receipts and ex penditure in respect of the next financial 
year for approval of the Board. 
22. Maintenance of accounts .– (1) The Board shall maintain complete and 
accurate books of accounts in such manner and in such form as may be prescribed. 
(2) The Board shall submit t o Government the annual statement of the 
accounts once a year. 
23. Annual report.– (1) The Board shall, within three months of the close of a 
financial year, submit to the Government an annual report. 
(2) The report shall consist of: 
(a) the statement of accounts under this Act; 
(b) a comprehensive statement  of the work and activities of the Board 
during the preceding financial year and its future plans; and  
(c) such other matters as may be prescribed or as the Board may consider 
appropriate. 
(3) The Government shall, as soon may be after the receipt of the report 
from the Board, lay the report in Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. 
24. Audit.– (1) The Auditor General of Pakistan shall annually audit the accounts 
of the Board. 
(2) The Government, in addition  to the audit under subsection (1), may 
cause the accounts of the Board annually audited by a Chartered Accountant or a 
firm of Chartered Accountants. 
25. Rules.– The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make 
rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
26. Regulations.– Subject to this Act and the rules, the Board may, by 
notification in the official Gazette, frame regulations to give effect to the provisions of 
the Act. 
27. Protection of acts and orders .– No suit for damages or other l egal 
proceedings shall be instituted against the Government, the Board, Advisory Council, 
Managing Director, any Director or other employee of the Board in respect of 
anything done or purported to have been done in good faith in pursuance of this Act, 
rules or regulations. 
28. Appeal.– Any person, aggrieved by a direction or order of the Board, may, 
within thirty days of communication of the direction or order, prefer an appeal to the 
Government whose decision on such appeal shall be final. 
29. Act to have overriding effect .– The provisions of this Act shall have 
overriding effect notwithstanding anything contained in any other law. 
30. Repeal and saving s.– (1) The Punjab textbook Board Ordinance, 1962 (XLI 
of 1962), the West Pakistan Publication of Books Re gulation and Control Ordinance, 
1969 (XV of 1969), the West Pakistan Textbook (Regulation and Control), 
Ordinance, 1970 (XXVII of 1970) and the Punjab Curriculum Authority Act, 2012 
(XXXXIX of 2012) are hereby repealed. 
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal of th e laws mentioned in subsection (1), 
anything done or action taken under any of the repealed law, shall have the effect as 
if the thing is done or action taken under the Act. 
(3) The Board shall be successor in interest of the Punjab Textbook Board 
and the Punjab Curriculum Authority established under the laws repealed under 
subsection (1), and all assets and liabilities of the Punjab Textbook Board and the 
Punjab Curriculum Authority and all their employees shall stand transferred to the 
Board.