Why Nearly One in Three Indian Students Now Takes Private Coaching: What Parents Should Know

If you're a parent paying for coaching classes on top of regular school fees, you're not alone. A new government survey has found that nearly one in three school students in India now takes private coaching. That's 27% of all students, and in cities, the number jumps to over 30%.

These numbers come from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's latest education survey, which studied over 52,000 households and nearly 58,000 students across India. The findings paint a clear picture: private coaching, once considered extra help for struggling students, has become the norm for millions of families.

The trend is much stronger in urban areas. About 31% of city students take coaching, compared to 25% in villages. This gap suggests that coaching is becoming a middle-class urban phenomenon, driven by competition and parents' hopes for their children's futures.

But it's not just about who's taking coaching. It's also about how much families are spending.

Urban families spend an average of Rs 3,988 per child every year on coaching. Rural families spend Rs 1,793. That might not sound huge, but remember that this is on top of school fees, uniforms, books, and other expenses.

The costs get steeper as children grow older. At the higher secondary level, city families shell out Rs 9,950 per student annually for coaching. That's more than double what rural families spend at the same level.

To put this in perspective: coaching fees start at just Rs 525 for pre-primary students but jump to Rs 6,384 at the higher secondary stage. For many families, this has become the second-biggest education expense after school fees.

The survey doesn't directly answer this, but the reasons are easy to guess. Competition for college seats is fierce. Board exam pressure starts early. And many parents worry that regular school teaching isn't enough to help their child succeed.

There's also a fear factor. When your neighbor's child takes coaching, you worry your child might fall behind. This creates a cycle where coaching becomes less of a choice and more of a necessity.

When 27% of students need extra coaching, our regular schools might not be doing enough. Coaching has become what experts call "shadow education", a parallel system that operates in the shadow of formal schooling.

The survey also found that 95% of education costs come directly from families. Government scholarships account for barely 1.2% of funding. This means the burden of education and now coaching falls almost entirely on parents.

The survey revealed another interesting pattern. While 56% of students nationwide attend government schools, there's a huge urban-rural split. In villages, two-thirds of children study in government schools. In cities, only 30% do.

Urban parents clearly prefer private schools and are willing to pay for them. Families with children in private schools spend Rs 25,002 per student annually, compared to just Rs 2,863 for students in government schools. That's nearly nine times more.

Almost all private school students (approximately 96%) pay course fees, compared to only 25% in government schools. In urban private schools, this figure touches 98%.

First, don't panic. Coaching isn't always necessary. If your child is doing well in school and isn't stressed, you don't need to sign them up just because others are doing it.

Second, be realistic about costs. Coaching fees add up quickly, especially as children get older. Budget accordingly and don't stretch yourself too thin financially.

Third, talk to your child's teachers. Often, regular school can address learning gaps if you work with teachers instead of immediately turning to coaching.

Finally, remember that coaching is meant to support learning, not replace it. If your child needs coaching to keep up with basic schoolwork, that's a sign something needs to change, either at school or in how your child is learning.

This survey shows that Indian parents are willing to invest heavily in their children's education. That's admirable. But it also reveals growing inequality. Urban families can afford private schools plus coaching. Rural families struggle to cover basic costs.

As the National Education Policy aims to make quality education accessible and affordable for all, these numbers remind us how far we still have to go. Education shouldn't be a luxury reserved for the few.

For now, if you're a parent weighing the coaching decision, make it based on your child's actual needs, not just peer pressure. Every child is different. What works for the neighbor's kid might not work for yours.

The goal isn't to keep up with everyone else. It's to help your child learn well and grow confident. Sometimes coaching helps with that. Sometimes it doesn't. Trust your judgment and your child's well-being above everything else.