The Story of India’s Educational Publishing Market

Abstract

Abstract Manzar Khan has been a part of India’s educational publishing industry since 1978 and has worked with Orient Longman, Oxford University Press and his current entrepreneurial venture Headword. The educational books market in the country started to expand in the 1990s with economic liberalization and growth, more private schools, and increasing demand for learning in English. This also attracted foreign publishers to set up local operations. Digital resources started to become relevant from the early 2000s, and publishers started to provide ebooks and teacher support materials digitally. Publishers who have good quality content continue to exist and grow through print along with digital support. Covid had a major impact, and it will take publishers at least another season or two to recover the losses incurred. Though operating in a low-price market, private publishers in India have the freedom to develop books and promote these directly to private schools and compete for adoptions. There is scope to continue investing in the educational business.