Survey Shows 56% of Students Enrolled in Government Schools; Household Education Spend Much Lower Than in Private
The report also found that 95% of students’ education costs are funded by household members, while government scholarships account for just 1.2% of first major funding sources.
New Delhi, August 26: Government schools continue to be the backbone of India’s education system, with 55.9% of all students enrolled, according to the latest Comprehensive Modular Survey: Education (April–June 2025) released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The share is even higher in rural India, where nearly two-thirds (66%) of students attend government schools, compared to 30.1% in urban areas.
Spending Gap Between Government and Private Schools
The survey, based on responses from 52,085 households and 57,742 students, highlights sharp disparities in household expenditure. Average annual household spending per student in government schools was ₹2,863, far below the ₹25,002 average in non-government schools. Course fees emerged as the single largest expense across all categories, with urban households spending ₹15,143 compared to ₹3,979 in rural areas.
Private Coaching on the Rise
Nearly 27% of students were found to be taking private coaching, a trend more common in urban areas (30.7%) than rural areas (25.5%). Expenditure on coaching rises significantly with education level — from ₹525 for pre-primary to ₹6,384 at higher secondary level nationally. Urban households spend much more on coaching, averaging ₹9,950 at the higher secondary level, compared to ₹4,548 in rural areas.
Family Funding Dominates
The report also found that 95% of students’ education costs are funded by household members, while government scholarships account for just 1.2% of first major funding sources.
Officials cautioned that while the survey provides valuable national-level insights into enrolment patterns and education spending, state-level estimates should be interpreted carefully due to sampling limitations.
The survey underscores the pivotal role of government schools, the rising cost burden of private education, and the growing reliance on private coaching in shaping India’s education landscape.
