Remove 18% GST on online learning courses in India
The Issue
I am filing this public petition to request the Government of India, GST Council, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to reconsider the current 18% GST burden on online education, professional upskilling, and career-change courses purchased by individual learners.
In today’s job market, online learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, edX, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning, upGrad, Simplilearn, Scaler, Coding Ninjas, Internshala, PhysicsWallah, Unacademy, and many other Indian and global platforms have become important tools for students, unemployed youth, working professionals, freelancers, and people trying to restart or change their careers.
A person buying an online course is usually not buying luxury entertainment. They are investing in education, skill development, employability, and self-improvement. Many learners are from middle-class families, small towns, rural areas, or financially stressed backgrounds. For them, even a ₹500, ₹1,000, ₹5,000, or ₹20,000 course becomes more expensive when 18% GST is added.
India is encouraging Digital India, Skill India, Startup India, AI learning, coding, entrepreneurship, and job-readiness. But charging 18% GST on online upskilling creates a financial barrier for the very people who are trying to become more employable and self-reliant.
Therefore, I request the Government and GST Council to consider one of the following reforms:
Reduce GST on online education and upskilling courses from 18% to 5%.
Provide GST exemption for individual learners purchasing job-oriented courses.
Create a special GST category for career upskilling, digital skills, coding, language learning, interview preparation, and professional certification courses.
Provide exemption up to a reasonable annual learning limit per individual.
Ensure that recognised skill-development and career-transition courses are treated differently from entertainment or luxury digital services.
This reform will make online learning more affordable, help unemployed youth and working professionals upgrade their skills, support India’s digital workforce, and improve employability across the country.
Education and skill development should be encouraged, not made costlier. Reducing GST on online courses will be a direct investment in India’s human capital and future workforce.
We request the Government of India and GST Council to review and reduce GST on online education and career upskilling courses.
7
The Issue
I am filing this public petition to request the Government of India, GST Council, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to reconsider the current 18% GST burden on online education, professional upskilling, and career-change courses purchased by individual learners.
In today’s job market, online learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, edX, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning, upGrad, Simplilearn, Scaler, Coding Ninjas, Internshala, PhysicsWallah, Unacademy, and many other Indian and global platforms have become important tools for students, unemployed youth, working professionals, freelancers, and people trying to restart or change their careers.
A person buying an online course is usually not buying luxury entertainment. They are investing in education, skill development, employability, and self-improvement. Many learners are from middle-class families, small towns, rural areas, or financially stressed backgrounds. For them, even a ₹500, ₹1,000, ₹5,000, or ₹20,000 course becomes more expensive when 18% GST is added.
India is encouraging Digital India, Skill India, Startup India, AI learning, coding, entrepreneurship, and job-readiness. But charging 18% GST on online upskilling creates a financial barrier for the very people who are trying to become more employable and self-reliant.
Therefore, I request the Government and GST Council to consider one of the following reforms:
Reduce GST on online education and upskilling courses from 18% to 5%.
Provide GST exemption for individual learners purchasing job-oriented courses.
Create a special GST category for career upskilling, digital skills, coding, language learning, interview preparation, and professional certification courses.
Provide exemption up to a reasonable annual learning limit per individual.
Ensure that recognised skill-development and career-transition courses are treated differently from entertainment or luxury digital services.
This reform will make online learning more affordable, help unemployed youth and working professionals upgrade their skills, support India’s digital workforce, and improve employability across the country.
Education and skill development should be encouraged, not made costlier. Reducing GST on online courses will be a direct investment in India’s human capital and future workforce.
We request the Government of India and GST Council to review and reduce GST on online education and career upskilling courses.
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Petition created on 9 July 2026