Shadow schooling surge reveals stark urban-rural divide in Indian education: What it is and why 33% of students rely on private coaching

In India, classrooms are no longer the only places where students learn. For nearly one in three schoolchildren, education now extends far beyond the school bell, and into private coaching centers, tuition classes, and home tutoring.

A recent government survey reveals a stark divide: While government schools still dominate in villages, urban families are increasingly supplementing traditional schooling with paid coaching, reshaping the way millions of children experience education. The findings come from the latest Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on education, conducted as part of the 80th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Covering over 52,000 households and almost 58,000 students, the survey provides a rare glimpse into household spending on schooling and tutoring, and the growing shadow of private education.

What is shadow schooling?

“Shadow schooling” refers to the additional private tutoring or coaching that students undertake outside regular school hours. These sessions aim to reinforce classroom learning, prepare students for exams, or give them a competitive edge.

While shadow schooling is often seen as supplementary, it has become a near-essential component of academic life for many Indian children, especially in urban areas where competition and aspirations run high.

Rural backbone, urban surge

Government schools still enroll the majority of students nationwide, accounting for 55.9% of all enrolments. But their reach is far stronger in villages, where nearly two-thirds of children study in government institutions.

In contrast, urban parents increasingly opt for private unaided schools, with only 30.1% of city children attending government schools. Private institutions now account for almost a third of all enrolments, a share particularly significant in cities where higher incomes and greater aspirations drive parental choice.

The cost of education: A tale of two worlds

The financial divide between government and private schools is stark. Families with children in government schools spend an average of Rs 2,863 per student annually.

In private schools, the figure skyrockets to Rs 25,002, nearly nine times higher. Only a quarter of government school students pay course fees, compared to 95.7% in private institutions, rising to 98% in urban unaided schools. Across all categories — tuition, uniforms, and books, urban families spend far more, with average course fees at Rs 15,143 per student compared to Rs 3,979 in rural households.

Coaching costs climb, shadow schooling rises

Private coaching has become a major burden for families across India.

Overall, 27% of students reported taking some form of coaching this year. The practice is more common in cities, with 30.7% of students enrolled in coaching classes, compared to 25.5% in rural areas. Urban households spend an average Rs 3,988 per child annually, while rural families spend Rs 1,793. Costs rise sharply at higher secondary level, reaching Rs 9,950 per student in cities, twice the rural average of Rs 4,548.

Even pre-primary coaching comes with a price tag of Rs 525 per child, climbing steadily to Rs 6,384 at higher secondary.

Funding education: Households carry the weight

The survey underscores that families, not the state, fund most education. Across India, 95% of students reported that household members are the main source of funding. Government scholarships cover just 1.2% of students, leaving families to bear the cost of both school and shadow education.

What this means: Aspirations and inequalities

The CMS findings tell a dual story. Government schools remain the backbone of rural education, offering accessible schooling at minimal cost.

Meanwhile, in urban areas, private institutions and coaching centers are reshaping the educational landscape. Shadow schooling, while often seen as a path to academic excellence, also reflects broader inequalities, where access, income, and parental priorities determine how and where children learn. As India implements the National Education Policy (NEP) with a focus on equitable and affordable quality education, the rise of shadow schooling raises critical questions: Can policy bridge this urban-rural divide? And how can the system ensure that learning is truly accessible, rather than just outsourced to those who can afford it?TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.