How Big Is the Coaching Market?

How much Indian families spend on private tuition and coaching, what NSS surveys show about private tuition, and differences between urban and rural students.

The coaching market is large.

Surveys

NSS surveys found a sizeable share of students take private coaching, with higher shares in cities and at higher classes.

Spending

Families spend a significant part of education budgets on coaching, sometimes more than on school fees.

Regions

Private tuition is especially common in West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar, even at primary levels.

Inequality

Richer families spend far more, widening gaps in exam outcomes.

Market estimates

Industry estimates place India’s coaching market in the tens of thousands of crores of rupees.

The tuition household

A family in Kolkata pays for tuition in three subjects for a class 8 child, spending more than on school fees.

Thinking coaching is only for entrance exams

Many school students take tuition.

Key takeaways

Many students take private coaching.
Spending can exceed school fees.
Tuition is common in eastern states.
Richer families spend more.