India, Sept. 25 -- As a teacher, I see the recent GST relaxation on educational materials as a Diwali gift for millions of students and their families across India. The impact is significant, not only through immediate savings but also in shaping a future generation of learners who can become the core human capital of our country.

Education costs form a large part of household spending. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI, 2025), urban households spend about 4.3 per cent of their total monthly consumption on education, while rural households spend around 1.9 per cent.

With over 25 crore students enrolled in schools and higher education in India, even a small GST reduction on items like textbooks, ...