Copyright thehindu
Parents in Telangana incur some of the highest annual expenditure on education of their children with an average of ₹ 13,767 on pre-primary, ₹ 20,703 on primary, and ₹30,326 on higher secondary wards. The expenditure has a wide variation between ₹5,896 in rural areas and ₹21,897 in urban areas for pre-primary children. This data is part of the ‘Comprehensive Modular Survey: Education, 2025’ that was conducted between April and June 2025 by the Household Survey Division (HSD) of National Statistics Office as part of the 80th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS). The survey collected expenditure-related information from 775 households in rural areas and 899 households in urban areas of Telangana. Nationally, 28,401 households in rural and 23,684 households in urban areas were surveyed to arrive at the findings. In rural India, the average expenditure per student on school education during the current academic year was estimated at ₹2,639 in government schools and ₹19,554 in non-government schools. In urban India, the same was estimated at ₹4,128 for government schools and ₹31,782 for non-government schools. Government vs. private schools The gulf between government and private schooling is pronounced. Parents with children in government-run schools incur ₹2,286 per year in rural areas and ₹3,963 in urban areas in Telangana. In private unaided schools this goes up to ₹35,104 in rural areas and ₹41,475 in urban areas. This pattern mirrors the national trend, but with higher absolute spending in Telangana. Nationally, parents spend an average of ₹9,807 on education of pre-primary children with ₹6,059 in rural areas and ₹18,943 in urban areas. Pre-primary education is the most expensive in Punjab with ₹22,471 in rural areas and ₹23,372 in urban areas. Kerala again stood out, with ₹7,038 in government schools and ₹33,798 in private schools, reflecting the State’s high public investment and lower dependence on expensive unaided institutions. In Andhra Pradesh, the corresponding figures were ₹1,988 in government schools and ₹32,612 in private schools. Kerala’s model, where even government schools maintain higher standards and attract middle-class enrolment, contrasts sharply with Telangana’s dependence on private institutions. Andhra Pradesh’s figures indicate a similar pattern of high private spending and modest public expenditure. Juxtaposed with enrollment figures from Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) for 2024-25, Telangana is a standout example where most students are pursuing the expensive private education. Nearly 63% of students in Telangana are studying in private institutions with 36.2% in government institutions between pre-primary and Intermediate. Nationally, only 38.8% students are in private schools with over 59% in government-run institutions. The trend of more students in government institutions is high for both Bihar which has over 81% in government schools as well as Kerala which has 70% in government schools. For Telangana, the numbers suggest both progress and pressure: the State’s educational investment by families outpaces much of the country, but it also underscores the need for stronger spending on public schooling to reduce the financial load on parents. The price of education for parents Bihar has 81% school children pursuing education in Government schools, Kerala 70%. Telangana has 36.2% students in Government schools. Parents in Telangana spend ₹2,609 for a child in government school and ₹38,479 in private schools. Parents in Kerala spend ₹7038 for a child in government school and ₹33,798 in private school. Nearly 63% of students in Telangana are studying in private institutions with 36.2% in government institutions between pre-primary and Intermediate.
