ITC’s Classmate expands beyond notebooks to stay relevant in digital-first India
Classmate is broadening its stationery portfolio, strengthening omnichannel reach and adding QR-enabled learning experiences as it competes for relevance in India’s ₹16,500 crore paper-based stationery market.
What happened
ITC’s Classmate is defending relevance in India’s Rs 16,500 crore stationery market through wider product categories, omnichannel distribution and QR-enabled
Key facts
- Rs 16,500 crore Indian paper-based stationery market value
- FY25 ITC FMCG revenue of Rs 219,81 crore
- Classmate consumer spends exceed Rs 1,000 crore
- 11 QR-code-enabled interactive challenges
- Classmate launched in 2003
Why this matters
Classmate’s digital-learning push may make partnerships or acquisitions in education content, student engagement technology and specialty stationery attractive ways to accelerate its platform strategy.
What to watch
- Growth in Classmate SKUs outside notebooks and their contribution to sales.
- QR scan rates, repeat usage and conversion from content engagement to product repurchase.
- Availability and ranking across Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto and other quick-commerce platforms.
- Back-to-school market-share movement versus Navneet, Kokuyo Camlin, DOMS and regional brands.
- School or edtech partnerships that embed Classmate content into student routines.
- Evidence of price discounting or QR-content replication by competitors.
- Bundle notebooks with pens, art materials, exam planners and QR-based study resources by age group and academic use case.
- Expand marketplace, quick-commerce and direct-to-school ordering with inventory tailored to back-to-school and exam-season demand.
- Use QR engagement data to personalize content, target replenishment offers and identify high-conversion product adjacencies.
- Partner with educators, tutoring platforms and school networks to make QR content more credible and habit-forming.
- Introduce tiered assortments: value basics for mass retail and premium, design-led products for urban digital shoppers.