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From exam pressure to book clubs and booming bookstores, India’s reading culture isn’t dying—it’s evolving in ways we’re only beginning to understand

A recent article in an international publication sent the Indian readers into a tizzy and stirred a debate: does India read for pleasure, or are we merely a country of exam-takers who rarely buy books for fun? While the claim seems harsh, especially given our packed literary festivals and bustling bookstores, the reality of India’s reading culture is far more nuanced.

Exams and enjoyment

For many, the habit of reading is often tied to a specific goal rather than pure relaxation. Bhavna Faizullabhoy, Library Educator, notes that the motivation for picking up a book is rarely black or white. “I believe that it's a mix. It depends on the context, in the context of schools and educational institutions, I think there is an emphasis on reading for academics and to get ahead, at least after a certain age. I feel that reading for pleasure needs to be encouraged even when a child crosses a certain grade in school as it's at this point when the reading joy diminishes, in the quest for reading to achieve and it becomes a chore.”

Despite the pressure of grades, new social environments are helping to reclaim reading as a leisure activity. Faizullabhoy points to a growing trend of community-driven reading. “However I believe there are spaces where reading for pleasure is encouraged and there has been a surge of spaces that facilitate that in the recent years. In addition to Book Clubs which have been around for ages, there is reading in parks and open spaces, book stores, singles mixers.”