Parents Voice Concerns Over Rising Textbook Costs in Private CBSE Schools
Parents flag high costs of books prescribed by private CBSE schools
hindustantimes
Image: hindustantimes
As the 2026-27 academic year approaches, parents of students in private Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools in India are expressing frustration over high textbook costs. While National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks cost between ₹200 and ₹700, private publisher bundles can range from ₹3,000 to ₹10,000, leading to financial strain for families.
- 01Parents are facing high costs for textbooks in private CBSE schools.
- 02NCERT textbooks are significantly cheaper than private publisher bundles.
- 03Schools often restrict purchases to select authorized vendors.
- 04Regulatory gaps exist, as CBSE mandates NCERT books for higher classes but only advises them for lower grades.
- 05Experts suggest that making NCERT textbooks mandatory for all classes may not be feasible.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
As the 2026-27 academic session begins, parents of students in private CBSE-affiliated schools across India are raising alarms over the escalating costs of textbooks for Classes 1 to 8. While a set of NCERT textbooks costs between ₹200 and ₹700, bundles from private publishers can range from ₹3,000 to ₹10,000, which often include workbooks and supplementary materials. Parents report being compelled to purchase these expensive sets from authorized vendors, limiting their options. Aditya Kaushik, a parent from Karnal, Haryana, shared that he spent ₹3,500 on his daughter’s Class 1 book set, while Shyam Mishra from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, reported spending ₹8,000 for his son in Class 7 and ₹10,000 for his daughter in Class 8. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) mandates the use of NCERT textbooks for Classes 9 to 12 but only strongly advises their use for lower grades. Educationist MK Sridhar, who contributed to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, noted that private schools are permitted to use various publishers to foster creativity in textbooks. However, this flexibility has raised concerns among parents about the financial burden of educational materials.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The rising costs of textbooks are placing a financial burden on families, particularly those with multiple children in school. This may lead to increased stress and financial strain for parents.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
Do you think private schools should be required to use NCERT textbooks to reduce costs?
Connecting to poll...
More about Central Board of Secondary Education
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.






