Hariyanawallas spend the most on schooling, Biharis the least: Govt survey

Parents in Haryana are spending the most on their children’s schooling, while families in Bihar are shelling out the least, according to the Central government’s latest Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on school education. Manipur and Punjab follow Haryana on the list of states where parents bear the heaviest financial burden, the report noted.

As per Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)80th round of the National Sample Survey —52,085 households, including 28,401 rural and 23,684 urban homes, tracking the schooling expenses of nearly 57,742 children.

On average, Indian parents are spending ₹12,616 per child annually on education, which includes tuition fees, transport, stationery, uniforms and other essentials. Unsurprisingly, tuition fees make up the largest chunk of this cost.

The study reveals a stark disparity between states and UTs.  At ₹25,720 per child per year, Haryana parents spend the highest, followed by those from Manipur (₹23,502), Punjab (₹22,692), Tamil Nadu (₹21,526), and Delhi (₹19,951). With parents spending about ₹49,711 per child, Chandigarh leads among Union Territories. Spending high in Puducherry, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu all have high spending rates (₹18,194).

Bihar (₹5,656), Chhattisgarh (₹5,844), Jharkhand (₹7,333), and Odisha (₹7,479) havde the lowest spending. With parents spending just ₹1,801 per child each year, Lakshadweep is the most affordable of all UTs.

Private school costs are a whole different story. In Arunachal Pradesh, parents pay the highest—₹63,197 per student per year. Delhi (₹46,716), Tamil Nadu (₹44,150) and Sikkim (₹41,493) also record steep private schooling expenses. Chandigarh tops the UT chart with a staggering ₹79,006 per child annually.

Interestingly, Haryana’s private school fee burden (₹16,405) exceeds that of Telangana (₹14,026), Tamil Nadu (₹13,422) and even Delhi (₹12,672).

Urban-rural & gender gaps remain stark. Urban households spend nearly three times more than rural families—₹23,470 vs ₹8,382 per child. Urban tuition fees alone average ₹15,143, compared to just ₹3,979 in rural India.

The survey also points to a gender divide. Annual spending on boys averages ₹13,470, while girls receive ₹11,666. A major reason: boys are more often sent to private schools, while girls are enrolled in government institutions where education is subsidized or free.

Government school enrolments reflect this pattern—50.95% girls vs 49.05% boys, as per the latest UDISE Plus report for 2023–24.