The Telangana government's decision to reduce textbook prices by 17% for the upcoming academic year is unlikely to significantly ease the financial burden on families with children enrolled in private schools, according to the Hyderabad Schools Parents' Association (HSPA).
HSPA Welcomes Reduction but Highlights Broader Issues
While welcoming the reduction, HSPA president Venkata Sainath noted that textbook costs form only a small part of what parents spend each academic year. "For students in private institutions, the larger burden comes from tuition fees, special material charges, lab-related expenses, and other academic costs prescribed by schools," he said.
Sainath further explained that many institutions recommend additional study material beyond government textbooks, and some have in-house book production. "So, while the price reduction is a positive step, its practical benefit for many parents will remain limited unless broader fee regulation is taken up," he added.
Government's Effort to Make Education Affordable
The state government recently slashed the prices of textbooks ahead of the new academic year as part of efforts to make education more affordable for students. However, the HSPA believes that without comprehensive fee regulation, the impact on parents' finances will be minimal.
