VARANASI: Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith opened a fresh process on Friday, November 6, 2026, to register suppliers of printed books for its central, departmental and other campus libraries. The notice concerns the Dr. Bhagwandas Central Library at the university's Maldahiya campus and book purchases during the 2026-27 financial year. Applications must arrive by 5 pm IST on November 30.
For local book suppliers, the immediate requirement is a completed application supported by financial records, authorisation documents and evidence of previous institutional supplies. The prescribed submission is a sealed envelope sent to the Registrar, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi 221002, through registered post, speed post or courier. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
For students and researchers, this is a supplier selection exercise for library acquisitions. It does not announce a new student charge or a date when particular new titles will become available. Readers looking for an existing book should continue to use the library catalogue and reference services while the procurement process takes its course.
What the university is buying
The seven-page official notice, listed on the university's tender page on November 6, invites applications from book producers, distributors, vendors and stockists seeking authorised supplier status. Its scope includes the central library, departmental libraries and libraries at the university's other campuses.
The proposed panel lasts one year, with a possible extension subject to Library Committee approval. The university retains the right to place, cancel or divide supply orders. Applicants should therefore distinguish empanelment from a guaranteed order: selection for the panel does not itself identify a fixed quantity of books that a particular firm will supply.
The acquisition conditions emphasise original books and the latest editions or reprints. Where a faculty member recommends an older edition, the recommendation must carry a justification. Suppliers must also declare that the billed price is the actual book price, that the titles are not remaindered stock, and that a lower-priced Indian edition of a foreign publication is unavailable where relevant.
Delivery quality is part of the conditions. Books supplied in damaged condition or after the stipulated period may be returned, with responsibility resting on the vendor. Packing, dispatch, transport, loading and unloading costs are to be borne by the supplying firm. These requirements affect the total cost a bidder needs to consider before offering a discount.
What suppliers should submit
The eligibility conditions ask for at least three years of membership of a national book trade federation, with registration evidence. They also require copies of the previous three years' income tax returns, tax registration details and proof of address. The application form asks for the firm's establishment date, ownership details and permanent account number.
Applicants must show satisfactory book supplies to three government universities, institutions or colleges during the last three financial years. The notice asks for the relevant supply orders and satisfactory supply certificates. A firm should assemble both kinds of evidence rather than relying on a list of customers alone.
The notice sets a minimum turnover condition of Rs 90 lakh and asks for a chartered accountant's certificate covering the last three consecutive financial years. It also calls for authority letters establishing the firm's relationship with the book producers it represents. Applicants should check the exact eligibility wording against their financial and authorisation documents before submitting.
The processing charge is Rs 1,000 plus 18 per cent GST, totalling Rs 1,180, and is non-refundable. The notice specifies payment in favour of the university's Finance Officer, payable at Indian Bank's Kashi Vidyapith branch. It separately requires earnest money documentation. Suppliers should follow the prescribed form and payment instructions in the notice rather than substitute an unrelated online fee route.
A declaration on non-judicial stamp paper must address blacklisting during the previous three years and disclose relevant legal disputes over book purchases or supplies. The university may cancel registration or take other action if submitted information is false. The envelope must be marked as an application for vendor empanelment so the submission can be identified correctly.
What residents and library users should do
The university's official library section provides links to the online catalogue and library services. Its published service description includes circulation, reference assistance, reading facilities and consultation for visitors. Students seeking a particular text can use those existing routes; a supplier notice is not a reservation or borrowing request.
The university's collection page lists 267,994 books and 5,025 theses, alongside manuscripts and other material. Those are existing website figures, not additions announced through the November notice. The new process concerns printed book supply, and the notice does not provide a subject-by-subject purchase budget or a student-facing arrival timetable.
Students following university administration can also consult the separate reports on missing practical marks, semester fees and examination forms, and physical education counselling. None replaces the library's supplier application. For firms responding to the new notice, the deadline is receipt by November 30 at 5 pm IST, not the date the envelope is posted.
