SEBI lights up Silchar Book Fair, teaching visitors to spot scams, invest wisely

Silchar, Dec 10: The Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) stall at the ongoing Assam Book Fair in Silchar has swiftly evolved from a simple exhibit into a lively classroom filled with curiosity, caution and practical financial lessons.

What began as a modest corner among rows of bookshelves is now buzzing with questions, eager faces and the hum of discovery.

Representatives from SEBI and partnering agencies, including the Bombay Stock Exchange, Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), financial advisors, and market intermediaries, are patiently fielding questions from visitors.

Walls lined with charts and illustrated posters show how fraudsters operate; live demonstrations explain market risks; handouts offer step-by-step guides to safe, responsible investing.

“For SEBI, with the initiative taken for the first time in the book fair at Silchar, the goal is as clear as it is crucial. We are here with one core mission; to ensure people invest safely,” said Sukanya Banerjee, Deputy General Manager of SEBI’s Eastern Region.

She added, “Awareness is the first line of defence. If investors understand the do’s and don’ts, the red flags, and the risks, they will not fall prey to financial fraud.”

Officials at the SEBI stall informed that, up till Tuesday, more than 1500 visitors had already walked into the stall, many of them being students and first-time earners who admitted they felt lost in the world of securities, apps and returns that sound too good to be true.

Standing amid the steady flow of visitors, Nilabja Kanti Paul, Regional Manager of Nippon India Mutual Fund, watched the rush with a kind of amused astonishment.

“The footfall has been remarkable. People genuinely want to understand how to distinguish real investment opportunities from traps. Their questions show just how widespread and dangerous misinformation can be.”

He added that special attention is being given to demonstrating SEBI’s evolving mechanisms to prevent scams.

The ten-day bookfair, organised by the Publication Board of Assam and the All Assam Publishers and Booksellers Association, was inaugurated on December 1 by Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, who lauded SEBI’s presence as a "timely intervention" at a venue where thousands of young minds converge each day. 

Meanwhile, the Book Fair itself has settled into a vibrant rhythm, stalls glowing in the evening lights, readers browsing with leisurely enthusiasm and families drifting from books to learning corners like SEBI’s with growing curiosity.

Amid the smell of fresh books and the soft murmur of readers, SEBI’s stall stands out; not as a warning, but as an invitation to learn, question and invest wisely.