Nearly one in three school students in India now takes private coaching: Govt Survey

Nearly one in three school students in India takes private coaching, with the practice more widespread in cities than in villages, according to the latest Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on education released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, a TOI report stated.

The survey, part of the 80th round of the National Sample Survey, covered over 52,000 households and nearly 58,000 students to study household spending on schooling and tutoring. The findings show that while government schools remain the mainstay in rural India, urban families increasingly choose private schools and add paid coaching to regular learning.

Government and private school enrolments

Government schools account for 55.9% of student enrolments nationwide. Their reach is stronger in rural areas, where two-thirds of children study in them. In urban areas, only 30.1% of children attend government schools, with most parents choosing private unaided institutions. Private schools make up almost one-third of total enrolments, with a larger share in cities where incomes are higher.

Education spending gap

The report shows a wide gap in spending. Families with children in government schools spend an average of Rs 2,863 per student annually. In comparison, families with children in private non-government schools spend Rs 25,002 per student.

Only 25% of students in government schools reported paying course fees, compared with 95.7% in private schools. In private unaided schools in cities, the figure rises to 98%. Across all expenses including fees, uniforms and books, urban families spend more. Average annual course fees in cities were Rs 15,143 per student, compared to Rs 3,979 in rural households.

Coaching costs rising

Private coaching has emerged as a major cost for families. The survey found that 27% of all students took coaching this year. The share was higher in cities at 30.7%, compared with 25.5% in villages.

Households in cities spent an average of Rs 3,988 per child annually on coaching, more than twice the rural average of Rs 1,793. At the higher secondary level, city families spent Rs 9,950 per student, while rural families spent Rs 4,548. Costs increased steadily with age, starting from Rs 525 at pre-primary to Rs 6,384 at higher secondary.

Funding education

The survey also examined how education is financed. Across India, 95% of students said household members were the main source of funds. Government scholarships accounted for only 1.2% of funding.