Book Stall

North Lakhimpur College Publication has its own bookstall named Granthalaya. This bookstall has an official agreement with the Publication Board, Assam — a rare distinction for any college-level bookstore in the state. In fact, Granthalaya is the only bookstall at the college level in Assam with such an agreement.

Located on the campus of North Lakhimpur College, this bookstall has played a pioneering role in promoting a reading culture, creating a positive impact on society. In an agriculturally dependent district like Lakhimpur, this initiative has set a national example in the field of academics.

The idea was conceived in 2012 when the then Principal of the college, Dr. Biman Chandra Chetia, and Associate Professor of the Department of Assamese, Dr. Arabinda Rajkhowa, held discussions and decided to establish a bookstall on campus for the convenience of students. A permanent publication committee was also formed that year with clearly defined goals—not merely for formal display during inspections, but to genuinely enhance the intellectual environment of the college. Dr. Biman Chandra Chetia was appointed as the Chairperson and Dr. Arabinda Rajkhowa as the Coordinator—both of whom continue to hold these positions to this day.

Though the plan was ready, there was initially no space or adequate funding to set up the stall. However, Principal Dr. Chetia arranged for the necessary funds and constructed a 10 by 20-foot room. Basic furniture was provided, and the next challenge was collecting books. In this effort, Dr. Rajkhowa played a crucial role. Leveraging his close connections with major publishing houses in Assam, he managed to procure books at wholesale rates and stocked the stall.

A student was appointed as the manager of the bookstall. Remarkably, the stall began generating profit within just one year. Even after offering students a discount of 10 to 20 percent on the sale of books, enough revenue remained to clear the initial debts. The manager’s salary has since been paid regularly, and by the end of the year, there was sufficient profit to publish four or five new books.

This bookstall has resolved the issue of book scarcity that students often faced in a rural area like Lakhimpur. Many students have been able to build personal libraries by purchasing books at affordable prices. These personal libraries—established by hundreds of students from Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Majuli, Biswanath, and other districts—have had a lasting and positive impact on the broader society.