The education sector in India is on the boom. The Indian education market is estimated to be more than 225 billion in 2026, and it is among the largest markets of the world. The school franchise business has never been better, considering that there are over 1.5 million schools in the country and the middle class is increasingly demanding quality education. As well, the preschool and K-12 franchise division is anticipated to increase at a CAGR rate of 11.5 by the year 2026.
Education franchises are another form of business that is gaining popularity among entrepreneurs and investors as one of the stable and non-recessionary businesses. This is the best guide to all that you should know about best School Franchise in India 2026- what the leading brands are, how much they cost, whether they have to comply, and how much profit they will make.
What Is a School Franchise?
A school franchise is a type of business in which a person or organization purchases the right to use the name of the school, the curriculum, teaching methodology and the systems which operate the school to operate their own school. The franchisee makes a payment and royalty as an individual compensates brand equity, training, and freestanding assistance by the franchisor.
Benefits of Owning a School Franchise
- A Recognition (Brand): Make use of a dependable brand that is appealing among parents and students.
- Ready-Made Curriculum: Use a tested, structured curriculum, rather than construct one.
- Training & Support: Be given constant operational, marketing, and academic support by the franchisor.
- Minimal Risk: Take advantage of a proven business model that could provide a much bigger reduction in the rate of startup failures.
- Reduced time to break even: Recoup faster than opening up an independent school, which begins at zero.
8 Best School Franchise in India 2026
1. Delhi Public School (DPS) Franchise
- Initial Investment: ₹5 Crore – ₹15 Crore
- Franchise Fee: ₹25 Lakh – ₹50 Lakh
- Royalty: 5% – 8% of annual revenue
- Board Affiliation: CBSE
Delhi Public School is a brand of the most respected and well known schools in India that has a history of more than 60 years. DPS Society has over 200 schools in India and other countries worldwide, hence a force in the K-12 education market. A DPS franchise is quite expensive to invest in yet has unparalleled brand credibility and academic reputation.
Delhi Public School Society requirements are obligatory quality standards, infrastructure, and curriculum requirements that franchisees have to comply with. Just the name of the brand ensures high admission numbers, which mean that the brand will occupy at a relatively high rate, making it one of the best School Franchise in India. It is most appropriate to large-scale investors who have access to massive pieces of land and are able to invest huge sums of money.
2. Kidzee School Franchise
- Initial Investment: ₹5 Crore – ₹15 Crore
- Franchise Fee: ₹25 Lakh – ₹50 Lakh
- Royalty: 5% – 8% of annual revenue
- Board Affiliation: CBSE
Zee Learn Limited owns Kidzee franchise which is the largest preschool network in India and has more than 2000 plus centres all over India. It has a child based learning model known as iLLUME, which emphasizes on comprehensive growth of young children. The franchise is mostly prevalent in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, which makes it very reachable to a large group of investors.
Kidzee provides good training programs, marketing assistance, and curriculum to its franchisees. Having a comparably lesser investment requirement level than K-12 models, it is a perfect beginning for education entrepreneurs who are inexperienced and looking for the best School Franchise in India opportunity. The trust that the brand has among parents has guaranteed strong enrolment year after year.
3. EuroKids School Franchise
- Initial Investment: ₹8 Lakh – ₹15 Lakh
- Franchise Fee: ₹3 Lakh – ₹6 Lakh
- Royalty: 10% – 15% of revenue
- Board Affiliation: Proprietary (Pre-School)
EuroKids International is a major preschool and primary school franchise brand with 1,000 plus franchise units in India. The brand was established in 2001, and its European based and play-based learning approach, which is appealing to urban and contemporary parents, is known. EuroKids offers full-fledged support of setup, employee training, computerized tools, and a well organized educational system to franchisees, making it a leading School Franchise in India.
Recently, the brand has increased its services to both primary and middle school levels to provide franchisees an increased source of revenue. It has excellent online presence and a marketing infrastructure that is able to draw admissions. Investors that are seeking a mid-investment (trusted) education brand have a good investment option in EuroKids.
4. Podar Jumbo Kids
- Initial Investment: ₹15 Lakh – ₹25 Lakh
- Franchise Fee: ₹5 Lakh – ₹10 Lakh
- Royalty: 10% – 12% of revenue
- Board Affiliation: Proprietary (Pre-School)
Jumbo Kids is a preschool branch of the longstanding Podar Education Network that is more than 90 years old in the schooling industry. The franchise is an integration of a long educational tradition and a contemporary activities-based curriculum that is targeted on children between the ages of 2 and 6 years. Podar is the one that offers full support such as teacher training, branded materials, digital learning tools, and marketing support.
The brand is present in many cities around India and has a reputation of cultivating creativity in youth learners and confidence. Its low cost franchise system is appealing to teachers and investors both in urban and semi-urban markets. The Podar brand is accompanied by a lot of parental confidence, which assists in quicker enrolment.
5. iKidZ World
- Initial Investment: ₹12 Lakh – ₹22 Lakh
- Franchise Fee: ₹4 Lakh – ₹7 Lakh
- Royalty: 10% of monthly collections
- Board Affiliation: Proprietary (Pre-School)
iKidZ World is a new innovative franchise brand of early childhood school that is technologically based on STEM and technology. iKidZ World is a brand differentiator with smart classrooms, coding modules, and robotics being a part of the preschool design even at an early age, with franchisees provided with business package, curriculum, branding, digital platforms, and training, making it an emerging School Franchise in India.
It especially fits the forward-thinking investor who aims at urban and tech-savvy parents. Its brand has been expanding quickly at metros and big Tier 2 cities, where the pressure of education that would be future-ready is booming. This is because it is niche-positioned, enabling its franchisees to charge high fees and set themselves apart from other traditional preschool brands.
6. Smartkidz
- Initial Investment: ₹5 Lakh – ₹12 Lakh
- Franchise Fee: ₹2 Lakh – ₹4 Lakh
- Royalty: 8% – 12% of revenue
- Board Affiliation: Proprietary (Pre-School)
Smartkidz is a fast-developing preschool franchise brand with its low-cost investment model and well-developed system of operations. The brand aims to offer high-quality early childhood education that integrates traditional values with contemporary teaching practices. Smartkidz has provided franchisees with a turnkey business model including set-up instructions, curriculum, branding packages and teacher training programs.
It is particularly common among first-time entrepreneurs and teachers who seek to venture into the education industry with a limited amount of capital. The brand is active in various states across India and continues to expand aggressively in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Smartkidz could be a viable choice to investors who want to have a balanced risk-return profile in the field of education.
7. Bachpan Schools
- Initial Investment: ₹7 Lakh – ₹15 Lakh
- Franchise Fee: ₹3 Lakh – ₹5 Lakh
- Royalty: 10% of monthly collections
- Board Affiliation: Proprietary (Pre-School)
Bachpan -A Play School is a rapidly expanding chain of Preschools in India consisting of more than 1200+ centres in India. The brand is also characterised by a child-friendly atmosphere and a high focus on learners playing as a way of learning, moral values, and physical growth. Bachpan has a very franchisee-friendly model, which has low setup and is available in small towns and rural areas.
Franchisees are provided with a complete package, including curriculum materials, teacher training, branding, and continuous operational support. The extensive brand penetration in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities is one of the key competitive advantages for rural market investors. The high level of network allows Bachpan to enjoy good brand visibility in the community which also organically leads to enrolment.
8. Genius Kids
- Initial Investment: ₹10 Lakh – ₹20 Lakh
- Franchise Fee: ₹4 Lakh – ₹6 Lakh
- Royalty: 10% – 14% of revenue
- Board Affiliation: Proprietary (Pre-School + Primary)
Genius Kids is a high-end daycare and preschool branch that focuses on cognitive development, creative thinking and social-emotional learning. The brand’s curriculum, based on activities, features art, music, dance, and early literacy. Genius Kids offers franchisees an elaborate set-up plan, personnel recruiting guide, curriculum resources, and promotional assistance.
It is aimed at the high-end urban market, enabling franchisees to collect higher fees and enjoy higher per-student margins. The brand is expanding continuously in urban cities and high-income residential neighbourhoods in India. Genius Kids has a good curriculum identity and a premium position to attract investors in the quality-conscious parents’ community, making it a premium School Franchise in India opportunity.
How to Choose the Best School Franchise in India
- Evaluate Brand Reputation: Investigate the history, ratings, and ratings of parent satisfaction of the franchise.
- Compare Start-up Costs: Compare start-up costs, initial fees and periodic royalties of different franchise opportunities.
- Location Appropriateness of Checks: Ensure your franchise model aligns with the demographics and income profile of your target city.
- Review Franchisor Support: Focus on brands that provide powerful training, marketing and continued operational support.
- Be a good Reader: Before you tie yourself up in any long-term financial commitment, you should read the franchise agreement down to the last point.
Education Franchise Cost Breakdown
| Franchise Brand | Franchise Fee | Setup Cost | Total Investment | Royalty |
| Delhi Public School | ₹20–50 Lakhs | ₹2–5 Crore+ | ₹3–6 Crore+ | Negotiable |
| Kidzee | ₹1.5–2 Lakhs | ₹8–15 Lakhs | ₹10–20 Lakhs | 15–20% |
| EuroKids | ₹2–3 Lakhs | ₹10–15 Lakhs | ₹12–20 Lakhs | 15% |
| Podar Jumbo Kids | ₹1–2 Lakhs | ₹7–12 Lakhs | ₹10–15 Lakhs | 12–15% |
| iKidZ World | ₹2–4 Lakhs | ₹10–18 Lakhs | ₹15–25 Lakhs | 10–15% |
| Smartkidz | ₹1–2 Lakhs | ₹5–10 Lakhs | ₹8–12 Lakhs | 10% |
| Bachpan Schools | ₹1–1.5 Lakhs | ₹5–8 Lakhs | ₹7–10 Lakhs | 12% |
| Genius Kids | ₹2–3 Lakhs | ₹10–15 Lakhs | ₹12–18 Lakhs | 12–15% |
Profitability of School Franchise Business
One of the most lucrative education businesses in India is school franchising, especially preschools, due to low operational costs and high demand. On average, a preschool franchise with 50-80 enrolled students will yield monthly revenues of 13-8 Lakh, Depending on the fee structure and location.
Key Profitability Drivers:
- High demand: There is a high population of preschoolers in India and this means that it is a constant source of potential students.
- Recurrent revenue: School fees are paid on a monthly or quarterly basis and this provides a predictable and stable source of revenue.
- Low inventory cost: Schools do not have large recurring inventory costs, as does product businesses.
- Scalability: An effective single centre can be scaled to accommodate more classrooms or a second one can be opened.
Government Regulations & Compliance for School Franchises
The operation of the best franchise in India is a good business, taking into account a well-defined regulatory framework. Here is what you need to know:
- Preschool/Playschool Franchises: In India, there is no central government law governing preschools, although, in most states, there is a move to introduce some guidelines via the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Depending on the state, franchisees have to register with the local municipal body or state education department.
- K-12 School Franchise: K-12 schools are required to seek the affiliation of known boards like CBSE, ICSE or State Boards. This must conform to the norms of infrastructure (minimal land area, number of classes, laboratories and playgrounds) and the ratio of competent teaching staff and financial transparency.
Key Compliance Areas:
- Society/Trust Registration: Registration of a society, trust or a Section 8 company is obligatory under the existing laws to run the school.
- Fire and Safety NOC: It is obligatory to obtain a No Objection Certificate of the local fire department.
- Plan Approval: The school building should be approved by the local municipal authority in accordance with the plans.
- NEP 2020 Consonance: The NEP 2020 is putting increasing pressure on schools to ensure consistency between their curricula and assessment methods.
- RTE Act Compliance: According to the Right to Education Act, 2009, schools have to reserve 25 percent of total seats to economically weaker parts.
Marketing Tips for School Franchises
- Ride the power of Social Media: Advertise on Facebook and Instagram to targeted local parents in your locality.
- Host Open House Events: Call parents to free demo classes to demonstrate your methodology to them.
- Co-operation with Pediatricians: Co-operate with local physician and clinics to distribute referral cards and brochures.
- Invest in Local SEO: Do your Google Business Profile so that you rank in the best search of the term preschool near me.
- Provide Referral Bonuses: Provide a bonus to new student admissions or current parents as a discount or some kind of a gift.
Conclusion
The school franchise company is a good business opportunity in 2026 in India to investors who have faith in the strength of education. A school franchise with a solid brand, in the right place and with the correct compliance can provide predictable returns as it makes a significant social contribution. Start with a preschool or full K-12 model, it will be thorough research and due diligence that will make you a success.
FAQs
How much money would it take to open a school franchise in India?
Preschool franchise such as Bachpan or Smartkidz costs as little as 7-10 Lakhs as the minimum investment depending on the location.
Are school franchise business profitable in smaller Indian cities?
Yes, preschool franchises such as Bachpan and Kidzee are very profitable in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities because of a lower operation cost and the increase in demand.
What is the approximate time of acquiring CBSE affiliation of a franchise K-12 school?
CBSE affiliation process is one that normally takes 2-4 years, and involves compliance of the infrastructure, qualified staff, and provisional affiliation procedures.
Is it possible to have a teacher or an educator who has no previous business experience to run a school franchise?
Absolutely. It is even easy to learn by first-time business owners since most franchisors offer full training and throughout manuals in addition to operating support.