School Season Turns Costly as Uniform Prices Rise Amid Global Tensions

Rajkot | Gujarat — As the new academic session begins after the summer break ending June 8, parents are facing an unexpected financial shock—rising school-related costs driven by global instability and inflationary pressures linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the US, and Israel.

The impact is now being felt far from the battlefield, right inside household budgets. School uniforms, bags, shoes, and socks have become 7% to 10% more expensive this year, making the annual back-to-school rush more stressful for families.

“Earlier, the uniform season would last nearly two months. Now everything gets over in just 8 to 10 days,” said Bhayesh Vora, manager of Deepak Readymade Store in Rajkot, which has been operating for 65 years. “Due to rising raw material costs from Bhiwandi, Bhilwara and Ludhiana, prices have gone up significantly.”

He added that a complete school uniform set for a kindergarten child now costs between ₹1,100 and ₹1,500.

Parents say the burden is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. “With today’s inflation, it is very hard to manage all school expenses on a middle-class salary,” said Bhavesh Detroja, a parent shopping for his Class 3 child.

However, there is a small relief on textbooks. According to Atul Majethia of a local book store, government textbooks remain GST-free, keeping prices stable. “The maximum price of a government textbook is ₹65, and there has been no hike this year,” he said.

Market estimates show school uniforms for senior students now cost up to ₹3,000, sports uniforms around ₹1,000, school bags ₹800, and shoes about ₹250. CBSE textbook sets range from ₹5,000 to ₹7,000.

For many families, the back-to-school season is no longer just about education—it has become a test of financial endurance amid rising global and local economic pressures.