The GST Council on Wednesday, 3rd September, announced a big relief for students and parents by making several stationery items completely tax-free. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the decision will directly benefit families by reducing the cost of education-related essentials.
With this change, many items that are part of every student’s daily routine will now come at a lower price. Maps, atlases, wall maps, topographical plans, and globes, which earlier attracted 12% GST, will now be exempt from any tax.
The same applies to pencil sharpeners, ordinary pencils, mechanical pencils, crayons, pastels, drawing charcoals, tailor’s chalk, and all kinds of notebooks such as exercise books, graph books, and laboratory notebooks. Earlier, all of these fell under the 12% tax slab.
Erasers, which were earlier taxed at 5%, have also been made tax-free. This move means that whether it is basic stationery like pencils and erasers or more specialised items like maps and globes, parents will now pay less for their children’s education needs.
Education made affordable for all#NextGenGST pic.twitter.com/1Cq9Fq0n11
— CBIC (@cbic_india) September 3, 2025
Explaining the decision after the 56th GST Council meeting, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the reforms were taken keeping the “common man” in mind.
“Everyday items used by students have been carefully reviewed, and in most cases, the tax burden has been completely removed. This will help families, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, where these costs add up significantly,” she added.
The broader tax reform also simplifies the GST structure by introducing a two-rate system, 5% and 18%, while keeping a 40% slab for sin and luxury goods. But the biggest takeaway for education is that essential study material will now be completely exempt.
The new rates will come into effect from 22nd September, the first day of Navaratri. For millions of students across India, this move is expected to make education more affordable and reduce the financial burden on households.
