When ITC launched the Classmate brand in 2003, India’s stationery market was dominated by small, unorganised players. With the paper-based stationery segment holding a Rs 16,500 crore market now, Classmate aspires to be one of the major shareholders of this market amid a growing push towards digital classrooms.
The brand was conceived not simply to enter a new product category, but to build what ITC describes as a world-class Indian brand. “When ITC launched Classmate in 2003, the Indian stationery market was largely unorganised. But the vision wasn’t just to sell notebooks. It was to build a world-class Indian brand that set the highest benchmark of quality, matching global standards, while being rooted in local needs,” Vikas Gupta, Chief Executive, Education and Stationery Products Business Division, ITC Ltd, told financialexpress.com.
According to the company, what distinguishes Classmate’s business model is its deep integration with ITC’s paper and packaging division. The brand benefits from access to ITC’s Bhadrachalam mill, which supplies the majority of the paper used in its products. This not only allows for quality control but also supports the environmental claims that now form part of the brand’s messaging. “Even the paper used in Classmate is ozone-treated and Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF), minimising chemical usage and reflecting a strong commitment to sustainability,” Gupta said. Classmate is part of ITC’s Education and Stationery Products Business (ESPB), which falls under the conglomerate’s FMCG vertical. In FY25, ITC’s FMCG segment recorded revenues of Rs 219,81 crore. Classmate continues to maintain a market presence with consumer spends exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.
The brand’s focus, however, extends beyond paper. Classmate has gradually expanded into a broader portfolio, including pens, geometry boxes, and art stationery. It has also made a deliberate push to integrate digital tools into its physical products. According to Gupta, “From ensuring the best quality notebook to creating immersive, gamified experiences like eduGAMES infinity, Classmate has evolved into a catalyst for creativity, curiosity, and sharper thinking”.
The eduGAMES Infinity initiative reflects this digital expansion. Notebooks now include QR codes linking to logic-based challenges meant to reinforce learning outcomes. “With eduGAMES Infinity, students can scan a QR code to access 11 interactive logic-based challenges, enhancing verbal, mathematical, and critical thinking skills. They can play daily puzzles, compete on leaderboards, and earn rewards, all while reinforcing fundamental literacy and numeracy skills in line with NEP 2020,” Gupta said.
This gamification strategy is part of a broader effort to adapt to new learning modes. Gupta added, “Classmate is not just innovating with evolving consumer trends, it’s leading it, by nurturing every learner’s potential and helping them discover the true joy of learning”.
Yet despite these efforts, the Indian stationery market remains price-sensitive. Regional players still dominate rural and semi-urban markets, where decisions are driven more by affordability than brand loyalty. While ITC’s distribution network, covering general trade, modern retail, and digital commerce, gives Classmate reach, premiumisation remains a challenge.
To broaden engagement, ITC has also introduced the Classmate All-Rounder Programme, which recognises students for achievements beyond academics. Gupta framed it as an extension of the brand’s learning philosophy: “Classmate’s recent eduGAMES Infinity campaign was not just a marketing initiative, it highlighted the power of gamification in education and how it rekindles the pure joy of learning”. Classmate is available on platforms including e-commerce, D2C (classmateshop.com), and even quick commerce. As Gupta noted, “Today, powered by an omni-channel strategy, Classmate is available across general trade, modern retail, e-commerce, quick commerce platforms, D2C outlets like Classmateshop.com, and via institutional tie-ups with schools”.
Whether such integrated strategies are enough to protect share in a transforming market remains uncertain. Physical notebooks may still dominate in volume, but the shift to screen-based learning poses long-term structural questions for the category. For now, ITC continues to position Classmate at the intersection of tradition and transition, leveraging its scale while responding to a generation of students whose learning journeys are increasingly hybrid.
