India’s education story has long been measured by enrolment numbers. But the Economic Survey 2025–26, released in January 2026, makes one thing clear: access to education is no longer the problem, learning outcomes are.
Despite near-universal school enrolment, the Survey highlights persistent gaps in foundational literacy, numeracy, and conceptual understanding, many of which were deepened during the pandemic years. This reality has placed one-to-one (1-on-1) tutoring at the centre of India’s next education transformation.
What was once considered a remedial support system is now emerging as a core performance-enhancing learning model.
From Enrolment to Outcomes: A Fundamental Shift
The Economic Survey marks a clear transition in how educational success is being evaluated. Earlier policy focus revolved around bringing children into schools. Today, the concern has shifted to what children are actually learning inside classrooms.
The Survey openly acknowledges that learning outcomes have not kept pace with enrolment levels. Large sections of students, especially at the primary and middle-school level, struggle with basic reading comprehension and numeracy skills. This gap cannot be addressed effectively through large classrooms or uniform teaching methods.
This is where 1-on-1 tutoring becomes critical, not as an add-on, but as a necessary learning intervention.
Pandemic Learning Losses: A Shadow That Still Remains
One of the most important observations of the Economic Survey 2026 is that pandemic-era learning losses have not been fully reversed. While schools reopened and digital platforms expanded rapidly, the academic recovery has been uneven.
Younger students were the most affected, as early-stage learning depends heavily on interaction, attention, and continuous feedback, all of which were disrupted during COVID-19. The Survey implicitly positions individualised tutoring as the fastest and most effective mechanism to accelerate learning recovery.
In a 1-on-1 environment, gaps are identified early, instruction is paced correctly, and concepts are reinforced until mastery is achieved, something mass teaching struggles to deliver.
Why 1-on-1 Tutoring Fits India’s Learning Reality
The Survey indirectly validates a long-standing concern in Indian education: classroom heterogeneity. Students in the same class often operate at vastly different learning levels, making it difficult for teachers to cater to individual needs.
One-to-one tutoring addresses this structural limitation directly. Instead of forcing students to adjust to the system, the system adjusts to the student. This personalised approach allows learning to move at the student’s pace, with immediate correction and feedback.
As the Survey suggests, India’s education challenge is no longer scale, it is precision.
High-Stakes Competition and Rising Parental Investment
Another critical factor influencing the growth of 1-on-1 tutoring is the increasing competitiveness of higher education and employment pathways. The Survey highlights how rapid technological change, AI adoption, and economic restructuring are redefining skill requirements.
Parents are responding by investing more in targeted private tutoring, not just to “pass exams” but to ensure long-term academic and career readiness. One-to-one tutoring offers focused preparation for board exams, entrance tests, and skill-based assessments, areas where generic coaching often falls short.
In this context, 1-on-1 tutoring is no longer remedial; it is strategic.
Rethinking Digital Learning: Quality Over Quantity
The Economic Survey also issues a subtle caution against excessive reliance on digital teaching tools that expanded rapidly during the pandemic. While online education increased access, it also contributed to screen fatigue, digital distraction, and reduced attention spans.
This has triggered a shift toward high-touch, blended tutoring models, combining the flexibility of digital tools with the depth of human interaction. One-to-one tutoring fits naturally into this hybrid approach, offering focused engagement without overwhelming students with passive screen time.
The Survey’s observations suggest that the future of learning lies not in more technology, but in better-designed human-centric education supported by technology.
How the 1-on-1 Tutoring Market Is Transforming
Post-Economic Survey 2026, the one-to-one tutoring sector is undergoing a clear transformation. The focus is shifting from generic content delivery to deep personalisation.
Tutoring sessions are becoming shorter, sharper, and outcome-driven. There is growing demand for microlearning-based 1-on-1 formats, such as two-to-three-week intensive modules designed to address specific academic gaps or exam requirements.
At the same time, AI is being integrated behind the scenes, not to replace tutors, but to empower them. AI tools are increasingly used to track student progress, analyse performance patterns, and provide real-time feedback, making individual tutoring more effective and scalable.
Key Growth Segments Highlighted by the Survey
The Economic Survey indirectly points to three major segments where 1-on-1 tutoring demand is accelerating.
At the foundation level (Grades I–V), there is strong demand for personalised support in foundational literacy and numeracy. Early intervention through individual tutoring can prevent long-term academic struggles.
At the secondary level, especially in STEM subjects, students increasingly rely on 1-on-1 tutoring to handle complex concepts, numericals, and exam pressure. This is particularly relevant for board exams and competitive entrance tests.
A newer but fast-growing segment is adult upskilling. Professionals seeking to remain relevant in an AI-driven economy are opting for personalised tutoring in areas such as data analytics, programming, cybersecurity, and applied technology skills.
Urban–Rural Expansion and the Role of Technology
While 1-on-1 tutoring has traditionally been concentrated in urban centres, the Survey notes that improved internet penetration is expanding access to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Digital 1-on-1 models are enabling personalised learning in regions where quality tutors were previously unavailable.
This expansion, however, brings with it the need for regulation and standardisation. As private tutoring grows, the Survey hints at increased attention to quality assurance, data privacy, and student safety, particularly for in-home and online one-to-one formats.
From Remedial Tool to Performance Enhancer
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the Economic Survey 2026 is the repositioning of 1-on-1 tutoring. It is no longer seen merely as a corrective measure for weak students. Instead, it is emerging as a performance-enhancing learning model for students at all levels.
In an education system where outcomes matter more than attendance, personalised tutoring offers what large-scale systems cannot: attention, adaptability, and accountability.
What This Means for the Future of Learning
The Economic Survey sends a clear signal: India’s education future will be shaped by quality, not quantity. One-to-one tutoring sits at the intersection of this shift, offering a model that addresses learning gaps, builds academic confidence, and enhances performance across age groups.
Providers who focus on personalised, high-quality, blended 1-on-1 experiences are likely to see sustained growth in the coming years, particularly in foundational education and exam preparation.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Economic Survey does more than analyse education data; it reframes how learning success should be defined. As India moves from enrolment-driven metrics to outcome-driven metrics, one-to-one tutoring is no longer optional.
It is becoming an essential pillar of India’s evolving education ecosystem, not just to fix learning gaps, but to unlock potential.