As the new academic year approaches, prices of school supplies have seen a sharp rise, directly affecting parents and students. The increased cost of educational materials has added financial pressure on families. Supplementary books, practice sets, notebooks, school bags, and art materials have all become 20 to 25 percent more expensive.
Amid rising fuel prices and inflation across the country, school-related items have also become costlier. Prices of uniforms, school bags, lunch boxes, and water bottles have increased by around 15 to 20 percent. Shopkeepers say higher transportation costs due to fuel price hikes have contributed significantly to the increase in prices of school supplies. Vendors also point out that the cost of paper production has gone up, leading to a rise in notebook and textbook prices.
With the vacation season gradually coming to an end, schools are expected to reopen within the next 15 to 20 days. As a result, markets have started witnessing crowds of parents and students shopping for school essentials. Major shopping hubs, including Dadar and other city markets, are seeing brisk activity in the sale of school supplies.
A bookseller from Dadar said that the prices of school textbooks have increased by nearly 25 percent compared to last year. Due to the price rise, parents are prioritising the purchase of only essential notebooks and educational materials. However, buying raincoats, umbrellas, uniforms, and textbooks is proving to be a major financial burden for many families. With inflation and fuel costs already affecting household budgets, parents are struggling to manage their finances ahead of the school reopening season.
Textbooks for Classes 1 to 3 Still Unavailable
Textbooks for students from Classes 1 to 3 are still not available in the market, forcing some parents to return empty-handed from bookstores. According to booksellers, the delay is due to changes in the curriculum. They expect the new textbooks for these classes to arrive in the market within the next eight to ten days. As a result, primary school students may have to wait a little longer to receive their textbooks.
Also Read: Mumbai: BMC to Procure School Supplies Through GeM Portal; Opposition Raises Delay Concerns
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