A recently released survey on school education expenditure in India has highlighted significant differences in the cost of education for rural and urban households. The Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on Education, conducted as part of the 80th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), covered 52,085 households and 57,742 students across India, examining household expenditure between April and June 2025.The findings reveal that rural students, who are more reliant on government schools, incur far lower education expenses compared to their urban counterparts. Government schools continue to serve as the mainstay of India’s education system, accounting for 55.9% of total student enrolment.Higher enrolment in government schools among rural householdsAccording to the survey, 66% of rural students are enrolled in government schools, compared to 30.1% in urban areas. This trend reflects a greater dependence on publicly funded institutions in rural regions. In contrast, private unaided schools account for 31.9% of overall enrolments across the country.Only 26.7% of students in government schools reported paying course fees. The share is significantly higher in private institutions, where 95.7% of students reported paying course fees. Among urban private unaided schools, the proportion rises further to 98%, while in rural government schools, only 25.3% of students pay any course fees.Expenditure per student: government vs non-government schoolsThe average annual household expenditure per student in government schools stands at Rs 2,863. In non-government schools, this amount increases sharply to Rs 25,002. The largest component of spending across all schools is course fees, which average Rs 7,111 per student nationwide. This is followed by spending on textbooks and stationery at Rs 2,002.Urban households bear a higher financial burden, spending an average of Rs 15,143 on course fees alone, while rural households spend Rs 3,979 for the same.
Regional differences in annual school expenditureState-wise data shows variations in household spending on school education. Chandigarh reports the highest average annual expenditure per student at Rs 49,711, followed by Himachal Pradesh at Rs 39,550 and Haryana at Rs 37,148. In Delhi, the average is Rs 20,411, while Uttar Pradesh records Rs 19,795.In southern states, average expenditure per student is Rs 26,078 in Andhra Pradesh, Rs 28,951 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 30,848 in Telangana, and Rs 33,962 in Karnataka.Private coaching contributes to additional costsPrivate coaching represents a significant additional expense. About 27% of students received coaching during the academic year, with higher participation in urban areas (30.7%) than rural areas (25.5%). The expenditure on coaching varies by education level and location. Urban higher secondary students spent Rs 9,950 on coaching, while their rural counterparts spent Rs 4,548.Most families fund education without external aidThe survey also reports that 95% of students rely on household members for funding their education. Only 1.2% cited government scholarships as their main financial source, indicating a minimal role of institutional financial assistance in covering education costs.Read the complete report hereTOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
