# Education and research: Follow one offering through the chain Schools, universities, training providers and public or corporate labs building skills Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/story/ #### Follow one offering through the chain **5** Example story · 7 steps · India ### From an NCERT textbook to an IIT start-up Follow one engineering aspirant through India's exam, school, coaching and research chain. 1 / 7 · Policy, funding and standards #### The state sets the finish line **15.4 lakh**sat JEE Main in 2026 Long before a student opens a textbook, the destination is fixed by a national exam. The National Testing Agency runs JEE Main, the gateway to engineering colleges: on NTA's 2026 data, 16.05 lakh unique candidates registered across its two sessions and 15.38 lakh sat it, in computer-based tests whose scores also decide who may attempt JEE Advanced.^[1](https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/document-category/2026-public-notices/)^,^[10](https://www.pw.live/news/nta-jee-main-2026-data-out-how-many-students-appeared) **Constraint** One agency runs the exam for over 15 lakh candidates, so a paper leak or system failure can delay admissions nationwide. [DC Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_data_centres/)[Dist Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_distribution/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/)[Paper and packaging](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/paper_packaging/) 2 / 7 · Campuses and content #### NCERT prints the syllabus **15 crore**NCERT books a year, planned The syllabus arrives as NCERT textbooks, followed by CBSE schools and many state boards, and the base for most entrance preparation. NCERT was printing about 5 crore books a year in 2024, when the education minister promised to triple that to 15 crore, with prices cut for some classes and new books for classes 9 to 12 due for 2026-27.^[2](https://www.deccanherald.com/india/ncert-textbooks-to-cost-less-from-2025-new-books-for-classes-9-12-by-2026-dharmendra-pradhan-3320987) **Constraint** Printing depends on paper supply and timely tenders; when official books run short, families turn to costlier private titles. [Tm Timber](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/lumber/)[Pig Organic pigments](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pigments/)[CB Carbon black](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_black/)[Dist Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_distribution/)[Paper and packaging](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/paper_packaging/)[Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/media_entertainment/) 3 / 7 · Teaching #### One of the world's largest school systems **24.72 cr**school students, 2025-26 Our aspirant is one of over 24.72 crore students, from pre-primary to class 12, taught by 1.03 crore teachers in about 14.67 lakh schools in 2025-26. The funnel narrows early: only 51.9% of students were retained to the secondary stage that year, so a child who reaches class 12 with physics, chemistry and mathematics is already among a minority.^[3](https://educationforallinindia.com/udiseplus-2025-26-analysis-by-aruncmehta-educationforallinindia/)^,^[4](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/aug/doc2026817960201.pdf) **Constraint** Quality varies widely between schools, and enrolment in grades 1 to 12 slipped another 0.25% to 23.23 crore in 2025-26. [Ri Rice](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/rice/)[Wh Wheat](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/wheat/)[Bld Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_buildings/)[LED Lighting and displays](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lighting/)[Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/real_estate/)[Furniture](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/furniture/)[Food and beverage processing](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/food_beverage/) 4 / 7 · Teaching #### Kota, the coaching capital, reboots **₹3,500cr**Kota coaching revenue, 2025 (estimate) Many aspirants also pay for coaching, in centres or online. Kota in Rajasthan, the best-known hub, drew about 2.5 lakh students at its peak and earned ₹6,500 to 7,000 crore a year, by press estimates. By 2025 numbers had fallen to roughly 85,000 to 1 lakh and revenue to about ₹3,500 crore, though early 2026-27 admissions were reported up 20 to 30%.^[5](https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/kota-coaching-hub-revives-student-enrolments-surge-2030-after-3-year-slump-industry-revenue-set-to-bounce-back) **Constraint** Thousands of providers compete and students switch freely, but fees and hostel costs put residential coaching beyond many families. [Bld Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_buildings/)[LED Lighting and displays](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lighting/)[HP Heat pumps, air conditioning and refrigeration](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_heat_pumps/)[Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/real_estate/)[Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/media_entertainment/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/) 5 / 7 · Teaching #### About 18,800 seats at the IITs **1 in 82**IIT seats per JEE Main taker (calculated) The prize for many is a seat at an Indian Institute of Technology, allotted through joint counselling. The JoSAA seat matrix offered 18,826 IIT seats in 2026, 666 more than a year earlier. Against the 15.38 lakh who sat JEE Main, that is roughly one IIT seat for every 82 test-takers (calculated), before the separate JEE Advanced cut.^[1](https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/document-category/2026-public-notices/)^,^[6](https://news.allen.in/josaa-counselling-2026-seats-increased-in-iits-nits-iiits-gftis/) **Constraint** Top institutions take decades to build faculty and reputation, so adding seats is limited by teachers, labs and hostels. [He Helium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/helium/)[Rgt Reagents and high-purity lab chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab_reagents/)[Bld Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_buildings/)[DC Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_data_centres/)[Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/real_estate/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/) 6 / 7 · Research #### Research money, increasingly from industry **0.84%**R&D as share of GDP, 2023-24 In a final-year project or a PhD, our engineer joins India's research system, which spent ₹2.45 lakh crore, 0.84% of GDP, in 2023-24 on government data. Private industry now pays for 45.2% of it, close to the government's 48.2%. Even so, WIPO estimates India's R&D at about US$75.7 billion in 2024 (2015 PPP), under a tenth of China's or America's (calculated).^[7](https://www.policyedge.in/p/private-industry-lifts-indias-rd-spending-as-research-intensity-reaches-084)^,^[8](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/global-innovation-index/w/blogs/2025/end-of-year-edition) **Constraint** Business finances about 78% of R&D in the US and China; India's lower 0.84% intensity keeps lab budgets small. [He Helium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/helium/)[Rgt Reagents and high-purity lab chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab_reagents/)[CDMO Custom synthesis (CDMO)](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/custom_synthesis/)[DC Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_data_centres/)[Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/real_estate/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/) 7 / 7 · Translation to the economy #### Patents and start-ups from IIT Madras **431**IIT Madras patents filed, 2025-26 The chain ends where research becomes a business. IIT Madras filed 431 patents in 2025-26, 79 of them abroad, licensed 27 pieces of intellectual property, and its incubation cell took in 112 start-ups, taking its portfolio to 567 firms valued at over ₹74,100 crore on their latest funding rounds, the institute says.^[9](https://www.iitm.ac.in/happenings/press-releases-and-coverages/iit-madras-achieves-startup-shatam-second-year-row-and) **Constraint** Deep-tech start-ups need years of patient capital before revenue, and patent examination in India can take years. [Bld Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_buildings/)[DC Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_data_centres/)[Finance: banking, insurance, markets](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/finance/)[Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/real_estate/)[Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/software_it/) #### What the chain shows India's talent funnel is vast at the base and very narrow at the top; turning more of its research into products is the opportunity. Sources 1. [Declaration of the Result/NTA Scores for JEE (Main) 2026 Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.)](https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/document-category/2026-public-notices/) National Testing Agency, 2026 2. [NCERT textbooks to cost less from 2025, new books for classes 9-12 by 2026: Dharmendra Pradhan](https://www.deccanherald.com/india/ncert-textbooks-to-cost-less-from-2025-new-books-for-classes-9-12-by-2026-dharmendra-pradhan-3320987) Deccan Herald (PTI), 2024 3. [UDISE+ 2025-26 analysis (Ministry of Education UDISE+ data)](https://educationforallinindia.com/udiseplus-2025-26-analysis-by-aruncmehta-educationforallinindia/) Arun C. Mehta, Education for All in India, 2026 4. [Beyond the Numbers: Decoding India's School Education Progress, UDISE+ 2025-26 Report](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/aug/doc2026817960201.pdf) Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Education), 2026 5. [Kota coaching hub revives: student enrolments surge 20-30% after 3-year slump (press estimates)](https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/kota-coaching-hub-revives-student-enrolments-surge-2030-after-3-year-slump-industry-revenue-set-to-bounce-back) Free Press Journal (PTI), 2026 6. [JoSAA counselling 2026: IIT seats increased by 666, admissions available for 18,826 seats (reporting the JoSAA seat matrix)](https://news.allen.in/josaa-counselling-2026-seats-increased-in-iits-nits-iiits-gftis/) Allen Career Institute news, 2026 7. [Private industry lifts India's R&D spending as research intensity reaches 0.84% (DST R&D Statistics 2025-26)](https://www.policyedge.in/p/private-industry-lifts-indias-rd-spending-as-research-intensity-reaches-084) The Policy Edge, 2026 8. [End of year edition: global R&D spending](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/global-innovation-index/w/blogs/2025/end-of-year-edition) WIPO Global Innovation Index, 2025 9. [IIT Madras achieves 'Startup Shatam' for second year in a row](https://www.iitm.ac.in/happenings/press-releases-and-coverages/iit-madras-achieves-startup-shatam-second-year-row-and) IIT Madras, 2026 10. [NTA JEE Main 2026 data out: how many students appeared (reporting NTA data)](https://www.pw.live/news/nta-jee-main-2026-data-out-how-many-students-appeared) Physics Wallah, 2026 ## Other sections - [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/index.md) - [Where ₹100 goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/cost-mix/index.md) - [Price links with suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/price-links/index.md) - [Linked industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/linked-industries/index.md) - [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/value-chain/index.md) - [Materials drawn on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/materials/index.md) - [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/risks/index.md) - [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/education_research/sources/index.md)