The recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, announced by the GST Council under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, have been hailed as a landmark simplification of India’s taxation system. Effective 22 September 2025, the multiple GST slabs will be condensed into two rates—5% and 18%.
For the education sector, however, the most notable reform is the elimination of GST on essential stationery items such as pencils, sharpeners, crayons, exercise books, notebooks, maps, atlases, globes, and erasers. These items, previously taxed at 5–12%, will now be completely tax-free.
Commenting on the development, Ms. Usha Iyer, Founder Director of The Bangalore School and The Green School Bangalore, described the move as deeply symbolic. “For me, the GST revision on educational products is more than just a tax cut—it is a signal. When pencils, notebooks, and maps are made GST-free, the government is saying education must start with accessibility. But the real debate is—will this ripple into real impact inside our classrooms?”
Ms. Iyer further emphasised the critical questions that remain unanswered: “Will it ease the burden for parents? Will schools truly feel the difference in their operating costs? Or is this more symbolic than substantial? As educators, we must look at this decision closely. If affordability is the first step, quality is the next. Making learning tools tax-free is a bold move, yes—but the larger question is, can this momentum translate into investing in teachers, infrastructure, and the real fabric of learning?”
She concluded on a note of cautious optimism: “This GST reform opens the door. What we do with it, as institutions and teachers, will decide whether it becomes history-making or just headline-making.”
