JOIN USGenerations of students through decades have relied on photocopies of expensive books to sail through college. Getting chapters from dozens of books photocopied each month, and some just before exams, the college photocopy shop would host a mela of students all through the year. The friendly neighbourhood photocopywalla would also sometimes let you off on a few rupees and become a part of your college memories. This ‘tradition,’ however, could be set to change if a few publishers get their way.
A consortium of publishers – Oxford Press, Cambridge Press and Taylor & Francis, have moved court against the popular Delhi School of Economics (DSE) photocopier contending a downfall in sales due to continuous photocpying of their books.
If the court rules in their favour, though, the consequences would go beyond just the DSE photocopy shop.
So students and teachers across Delhi University have now picked up the fight to protect their favourite photocopywallas.
Apoorva Gautam, a student of MA Sociology at DSE, circulated a letter marking the students’ protest against this case, across the varsity last week. It collected hundreds of signatures and was submitted to the Director of DSE, Vice chancellor, Legal Cell (DU) etc.
A Facebook page has also been started in support of Rameshwari Photocopy Service – the DSE photocopy shop, and has 1126 members already. She says, “Our classes at DSE have come to a standstill. Our professors recommend us readings from at least 20-25 books every semester, each costing thousands of rupees. We get these portions photocopied and bound in a book form called Course Package. Sometimes, these are handed down to other students.”
“It is impossible for any student to read all of these books in the library or purchase them. Sometimes, these are not even available in the library or market for purchase. What does a student do other than getting them photocopied?”
Soumik Bhar, a student of MA Economics at DSE adds, “The photocopied material is anyways just a small portion of the full book. How does it amount to copyright violation? We are taking it up with our friends across varsities- JNU, IIT etc. and will soon be organising a seminar on the subject of intellectual property rights and how it can be misused to inconvenience the masses.”
Swapan Chakraborty, professor of Economics at Shyam Lal College, and a PhD student at DSE, goes further, “I feel this debate extends beyond just photocopying of books. In this day and age, when we talk about uplifting the masses through education, is it justified to put a ban on photocopying of academic material just for the profit of a few publishers? If they are so concerned about piracy, why don’t they reduce the prices of these books which cost thousands and lakhs? Can a student afford them?”
As for the hapless Rameshwari Photocopy Service, its owner Dharampal Singh says, “I have been running this shop for the past 14 years now without a problem or complaint. Suddenly these people came and sealed my photocopy material a week back. I don’t know about any copyright laws. If I’ve done any wrong, it was without knowledge. Please don’t penalise me for this.”