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Books or Burden? The Hidden Cost of Schooling

Why basic school books are becoming a luxury for middle-class families

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Books or Burden? The Hidden Cost of Schooling. The rising cost of school books—from LKG to Class 7—is becoming one of the most ignored yet painful financial burdens on Indian parents. What should ideally be a simple learning tool is now turning into a costly package, especially in private schools.

Books

By_ http://indiainput.com DESK

The Reality: Books Costing Thousands

Across India, parents report that a full set of books for primary classes can cost anywhere between ₹3,000 to ₹9,000 per child annually.
In many private schools, textbook sets alone can go up to ₹6,000 or more, even for lower classes.

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क्यों एक ही दुकान से स्कूलों की किताब खरीदना अनिवार्य है?
स्कूल की किताब दूसरी जगह मिलेगी ही नहीं तो NCERT जैसी संस्थाएं चल ही क्यों रही है? स्कूल ड्रेस और जूते भी तय दुकान से ही लेने का दवाब पेरेंट्स पर खुलेआम बनाया जा रहा है। जिलों के कलेक्टर भी जांच क्यों नहीं कराते? pic.twitter.com/yjicTe9oZ1

— Arvind Sharma (@sarviind) April 1, 2026

Recent community discussions reflect the same frustration:

“₹7.3k for Class 6 and ₹2.5k for UKG… many books aren’t even used fully.”

This shows the issue is not just inflation—it’s also about unnecessary and forced purchases.

Why Are Prices Skyrocketing?

1. Private Publishers & “School Tie-ups”
Many schools mandate books from specific private publishers instead of affordable NCERT options. These books are often overpriced and sold through selected vendors.

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Class 1

Rs 9,000 for Books and Stationary

Schools are earning 20-30% extra just from this New Business.

Who’ll hold them accountable !? pic.twitter.com/7ejCt6YU0l

— Dr Ranjan (@DocRGM_) March 31, 2026

2. Annual Book Changes
Even minor syllabus changes force parents to buy completely new books every year, making reuse impossible.

3. Hidden Profit Model
There are allegations that some schools earn commissions from publishers or vendors—turning books into a revenue stream rather than an educational necessity.

4. Rising Paper & Printing Costs
Textbook prices have risen by 10–20% in recent years due to increased raw material costs like paper.

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How is this even justified?
₹900 for one junior class book, ₹12,000 for the full set ,this isn’t education, it’s a money-making racket. Parents are being squeezed from every side, just to give their kids a basic education. How long will this loot continue? pic.twitter.com/3ruA5v3dzk

— The Nalanda Index (@Nalanda_index) March 30, 2026

5. Lack of Regulation
Weak enforcement allows schools to bundle extra workbooks, activity books, and guides—many of which are barely used.

The Bigger Impact: Middle-Class Squeeze

For middle-class families, this creates a silent crisis. Along with fees, uniforms, and transport, book costs add another heavy layer. Parents are forced to:

Cut household expenses
Avoid extracurriculars
Dip into savings

Education is slowly shifting from a right to a financial pressure point.

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प्राइवेट स्कूलों में शिक्षा या व्यापार ? 📚

आजकल स्कूलों में किताबों के नाम पर जो हो रहा है, वह वाकई चिंताजनक है। एक छोटे बच्चे की किताबों का सेट: ₹12,000/-

📍 वीडियो के कुछ चौंकाने वाले तथ्य:
➡ 100 पेज की साधारण नोटबुक – ₹350
➡ जूनियर क्लास की मात्र एक किताब – ₹900
➡… pic.twitter.com/b6reOwLNpO

— Rajneeti Tadka 🌶️ (@RajneetiTadka) March 31, 2026

What Can Be Done?

Mandatory NCERT Adoption (at least till Class 5–8)
NCERT books are far cheaper and standardized.

Ban Forced Vendor Purchases
Parents should be free to buy books from anywhere.

Regulate Book Lists
Limit unnecessary supplementary books.

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Schools are running scams

I guess the manufacturing cost of these books will not be more than 1000 rupees but the school is charging 9000 from parents.

This mandatory forced selling of books, school uniforms etc by schools should be banned.@EduMinOfIndia @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/953KPX4386

— Woke Eminent (@WokePandemic) March 26, 2026

Promote Book Reuse Systems
Schools can create second-hand book banks.

Strict Audits on Schools & Publishers
Crack down on profiteering and inflated pricing.

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₹1035 for a Class 5 English book parents question rising school expenses and pricing pressure on families. 🤡 pic.twitter.com/jc6vxVwcaj

— खुरपेंची ढांचे (@Khurpenchinfra) March 26, 2026

Conclusion

When a child learning “A for Apple” comes with a ₹5,000–₹8,000 price tag, something is deeply wrong. The issue isn’t just rising prices—it’s the commercialization of early education.

Unless regulated, even basic schooling may soon become unaffordable for the very middle class that sustains India’s education system.

SOURCE :

http://indiainput.com

https://www.cbse.gov.in

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