Shadow schooling booming as 33% of kids take private coaching: Government report

NEW DELHI: Nearly one in three school students in India now takes private coaching, with the practice far more common in urban areas, according to latest Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on education released by govt. The findings sketch a system where government schools remain central in rural India while urban families increasingly prefer private schools and supplement classroom learning with paid coaching.

The survey, carried out by ministry of statistics and programme implementation as part of 80th round of the National Sample Survey, covered over 52,000 households and nearly 58,000 students to assess household expenditure on schooling and tutoring.

Govt schools still dominate nationally, accounting for 55.9% of enrolments, but their reach is stronger in villages, where two-thirds of children study. In cities, only 30.1% attend govt schools, with parents showing a clear preference for private unaided institutions. Private schools account for almost a third of enrolments nationwide, with their share particularly significant in urban areas, where higher incomes and aspirations drive choice.

The financial gap is stark. Families with children in govt schools spend on average Rs 2,863 per student annually, while those in non-govt schools spend nearly nine times more at Rs 25,002. Only a quarter of govt school students reported paying course fees, compared to 95.7% in private schools, rising to 98% in urban unaided institutions. Across categories - fees, uniforms and books - urban families spend far more, with average course fees at Rs 15,143 per student against Rs 3,979 in rural households.

Private coaching has become a major burden. The survey found 27% of students took coaching this year, rising to 30.7% in urban areas and 25.5% in rural. City households spend an average Rs 3,988 per child annually, rural families Rs 1,793. At higher secondary, city families spend Rs 9,950 per student, twice rural average of Rs 4,548. Coaching costs climb steadily, from Rs 525 at pre-primary to Rs 6,384 at higher secondary.

The survey also highlighted how education is financed. Across India, 95% of students said the main source of funding was household members. Govt scholarships were cited by just 1.2%.

What emerges is a dual narrative - government schools remain backbone of rural education, while urban parents lean toward private institutions and coaching. This twin trend of private schooling and shadow education reflects both aspirations and inequalities at a time when NEP seeks equitable & affordable access to quality education.