On Friday, Finance Ministry clarified the assumptions of education becoming expensive under the newly rolled out GST and said that education will not be expensive. According to the news agency ANI, the Ministry stated, "(We) Deny reports that education will become expensive under GST. These are completely unsubstantiated".
The Ministry affirmed that no changes have been made on any subject relating to the education except for decreasing the tax on certain items such as school bags. Ministry told that the pre-school education and education up to the higher secondary including vocational courses is exempted under the GST.
“Transportation of students, faculty and staff services provided to an educational institution (providing pre-school education and education up to higher secondary school or equivalent) are exempt from GST. Similarly, catering, including any mid-day meals scheme sponsored by the Central Government, State Government or Union territory, to an educational institution providing education up to higher secondary school or equivalent, are also exempt from GST. Further, security or cleaning or housekeeping services performed in such educational institutions are also exempt from GST. Finally, services relating to admission to, or conducting of examination by, such institutions, up to higher secondary, too are exempt from GST,” the statement said.