The Rise of a New Education Era in India
India has witnessed massive changes in education in the recent decades, especially the early childhood education. There are in fact many factors that have contributed in making childhood education as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country. For example, policy reforms, changing parental priorities and rapid urbanization. If the findings of the survey conducted recently are to be believed, there is a renewed emphasis on fundamental learning and that emphasis has opened the play school franchise industry in India. This industry is now witnessing phenomenal growth.
The rise of this industry is for many reasons, like the demand for structured, value-driven preschool education, the need for a uniform education standard throughout the country, rising educational landscape, so on and so forth. Needless to say, right from metros to small towns, the demand for value-driven education is rising exponentially. Resultantly, the play school franchises are booming in India and it is opening the floodgates of opportunities for the aspiring edupreneurs.
India’s Educational Landscape and Preschool Market Size
The Indian preschool market was valued at INR 28.8 Billion in 2023 and by the year 2032, it is projected to reach INR 89.5 Billion by 2032, growing at a GARG of 13.2% during 2024-2032, according to IMARC Group.
The educationists of today cite several reasons for the massive growth. Some of these reasons are given below:
• Surge in double-income households because the number of working mothers has increased significantly
• Rise in awareness about the importance of early learning among parents
• Increase in disposable incomes and willingness to invest in quality education
• Emphasis of government on ECCE, i.e. Early Childhood Care and Education
One of the cogent reasons why preschools have an edge over traditional schools is because the former does not necessitate any complex infrastructure or big capital investments. And therefore, it makes preschools highly scalable and appealing to the first-time entrepreneurs and positions play school franchises in India as one of the most viable business opportunities in the education sector today.
The Influence of NEP 2020 on Preschool Education
The introduction of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is no doubt a precursor for growth for India’s early education ecosystem. As new scientific study conducted on child’s brain development unequivocally suggests that 85% of a child’s brain develops as early as before the age of 6, the formal education of India, now starts as early as age 3.
Given below are the NEP 2020 directives that have great influence in preschool education:
• Introduction of the 5+3+3+4 structure. Here, it is important to mention that previously there was a 10+2 model in existence.
• Thrust on experiential learning, that is primarily based on play and activity.
• Integration of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) as a national mission
• Focus on multilingual exposure, cultural rootedness, and teacher training
The above-mentioned reforms have indeed legitimized and standardized the preschool segment, fuelling structured curriculums, trained facilitators as well as curriculum-aligned operations. The NEP 2020 preschool impact is quite evident, as more and more private players and franchise chains enter the fray to meet these evolving educational standards.
Growing Demand in Tier-II and Tier-III Cities
There is no denying of the fact that the metropolitan cities experience maximum growth in preschools, but it is also undeniably true that there are several Tier-II and Tier-III cities, such as Patna, Lucknow, Indore, Ranchi, Coimbatore, and Bhubaneswar, where the growth and expansion of branded and high-quality play schools is quite evident.
Reasons these cities are ideal for preschool franchises:
• Lower real estate and operational costs
• Rising middle-class aspirations with increasing education spending
• Lack of organized preschool chains, paving the way to untapped market potential
• Community-driven trust in branded educational institutions
• Rapid digital expansion and awareness with the help of social media
For the top players in franchise mode of education, it is nothing less than golden opportunity. Now, they have become more able to expand their play school franchise footprint in India at a far less cost compared to metropolitan and big cities in India.
Why Franchising Works in the Education Sector
Franchising is the business model that is equally beneficial for both franchisors and franchisees. Whereas franchisors become able to maintain quality of their education level, the franchisees get profitable business, great experience and a sense of accomplishments. As the demand of providing education is ever increasing, this mode is a great way to fill the gap between the rising demand and short supply(of providing quality education).
Benefits of play school franchises in India:
1. Proven Business Model
This mode nullifies the need for any trial and error way, as franchisors have a time-tested and surefire way of providing education. This primarily helps the first-time entrepreneurs more .
2. Brand Recognition
Since what franchisors provide, happens to be a brand, hence people recognise and accept it gleefully. This mode of education not only wins the trust of the edupreneurs, but also the parents.
3. Training & Support
There is a foolproof arrangement of training and support throughput the operation of school under a banner/brand. The franchisee gets all types of support related to training, be it curriculum design, teacher training, staff recruitment, marketing or operations.
4. Curriculum & Technology
The franchisee enjoys access to all curriculum and technonology-based resources that include, but are not limited to, proprietary teaching resources, structured lesson plans, academic ERP systems, etc.
5. Low Entry Barriers
When compared to the conventional schools, the pre-school set up costs are far less and if we consider its ROI(Return on Investment), it is way ahead of the conventional ones.
This mechanism of support gives pre-school set up an edge over full-fledged conventional schools in India. And this is one of the cogent reasons, people of today find franchise-model of pre-school more scalable and effective in today’s changed educational environment. Not only the educated ones, even professionals from non-educational backgrounds prefer the franchise-enabled setups.
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The Opportunity for Aspiring Edupreneurs
Business opportunity is just one aspect in India’s preschool market. The prime opportunity lies in its ability to contribute substantively in nation building. People from almost every stratum of life, be it aspiring entrepreneurs, educators retired professionals, or even homemakers, a play school franchise is a least risk and highest impact investment.
Whether you’re driven by social impact, financial growth, or a personal passion for education, the franchise route offers:
• Flexible investment options (ranging from ₹5–₹30 lakhs)
• Site-specific models (home-based, standalone, or school-attached)
• High ROI potential
• Satisfaction of creating a lasting legacy
Additionally, several reputed education brands like Fister Kids are now offering 360° support—from land evaluation and construction planning to curriculum delivery and digital admissions systems—making it easier than ever to start a preschool franchise in India.
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Final Thoughts
The rise and eminence of Play school franchises across India is not a fluke. In fact, this educational renaissance is the result of several facts, policy reforms, economic growth, parental awareness, technological advancements to name a few. All these factors have come together to add a feather in the cap of early childhood education.
The atmosphere for the edupreneurs of today is quite conducive. It will not be a hyperbole to say that the situation was never that easy. Favourable government policies, such as NEP 2020, robust preschool market, and great demand in smaller cities, all have contributed immensely for making a heavenly opportunity for the edupreneurs to reap the benefits of the changed educational scenario by becoming a franchise partner.
So, if you happen to be an edupreneur and toying with the idea of venturing into a business that is profitable, scalable and socially meaningful, a preschool franchise in India might just prove to be the most promising for you.
📞 Get in touch today to learn more about the franchise process and kickstart your journey as an edupreneur.