Recently a Lok Sabha MP brought up the issue of GST on several essential goods like milk, and educational supplies like pencils, sharpeners, erasers, exercise books, notebooks, and maps. In response, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted a fact check and also spoke about it in Lok Sabha.

The Finance Minister said on X: “I heard Hon’ble MP (LS) speech very carefully. It’s unfortunate that he twisted facts which are known to everyone in this House. Very conveniently he spoke about the life cycle of an individual & lied.”

GST on milk and education?

The Finance Minister said that ever since the GST was introduced in 2017, milk has been completely exempt from GST.

He also pointed out, referring to the Lok Sabha MP who raised the question “Is he taking the members of this House as fools?”

On September 3, 2025, the 56th GST council meeting introduced major changes to the GST rate on milk and dairy products. While milk itself has always been free from GST, by-products of milk like ghee, cheese, butter, were previously taxed, but the rates have been now been lowered from 12% to 5%.

The Finance Minister said on X that there is no GST on education, meaning it is effectively exempt from GST.

The Finance Minister said: “Pre-school to higher secondary education, there’s no GST. Education leading to recognised qualifications, there’s no GST. On books, textbooks & notebooks, there’s no GST since 2017.”

The Finance Minister said that the said MP even spoke about pencil, sharpener etc and asked how can someone lie so much?

The Finance Minister said: “Pencils, sharpeners, erasers, exercise books, notebooks, and maps have zero GST.”

GST on health care services?

The Finance Minister said that on healthcare services (treatment, diagnosis, care), she would want to thank the members of the GST Council, there’s 0% GST since July 1, 2017.

The Finance Minister said on X: “Health & life insurance on individual plans was brought down to 0% in the Next Gen GST reforms (September 2025).”

The Finance Minister said that the Lok Sabha MP even said that an individual is charged GST even after his death.

The Finance Minister said: “There was no GST on funeral services ever in the first place.”

Source: The Economic Times