Guwahati’s chalk factories crumble as schools turn to smart boards

For decades, the dusty blackboard and a box of chalk defined the image of a classroom. Today, that picture is fast fading. Across Guwahati and other cities, schools are upgrading to whiteboards, projectors, and now sleek interactive smart boards that promise a modern, tech-driven learning experience.

The shift excites students and reassures parents, but in its shadow, a quiet casualty is emerging—Assam’s chalk factories. For small-scale manufacturers, the decline has been nothing short of brutal.

“Earlier, schools ordered nearly 1,000 cartons at once. Now it’s down to just 100–200. Demand isn’t even 30% of what it was,” said Parmananda Bora, who runs a chalk factory in Assam.

The tipping point, he explained, came when schools moved from whiteboards to smart boards. “Even though smart boards often have glitches, they look modern. Teachers don’t get their hands dirty with chalk, and that appeals to schools. Whatever little demand remains comes from tailors and health workers, not classrooms.”

Behind every erased line, a trade struggles to survive (Photo - Unsplash)

One of Bora’s machines now lies idle, and he admits he has considered shutting down more than once. For Guwahati’s chalk makers, the revolution in classrooms is rewriting not just how children learn, but how traditional livelihoods survive.

Distributors who once supplied chalk in bulk are also struggling. Ranjan Das, a chalk dealer in Guwahati, shared his concerns. “There was a time when schools placed bulk orders before every session. Now those orders are gone. Schools only ask for smart boards or projectors,” Das explains.

Teachers divided on change

Not all educators are equally enthusiastic about the shift. While some embrace the upgrade, others insist chalk still has an edge.

“Smart boards make lessons engaging and visually appealing. Children enjoy interactive content, and it feels modern,” said Priyanka Sharma, a private school teacher in Guwahati.

Government school teacher Anjali Kalita, however, stressed the importance of reliability. “Chalk may seem old-fashioned, but it’s dependable. We don’t have to worry about power cuts, internet failures, or costly repairs. And chalk is affordable, which matters in rural schools.”

Adding to the debate, Fr. Alex Mathew SDB, Principal of Don Bosco School, highlighted the practical benefits of smart boards. “There is no dust, and visibility is clear from any corner of the classroom. The installed programmes are interactive, and children are able to learn better.”

A classroom with smart board in Guwahati

But he also acknowledged the drawbacks. “Children are exposed to rays, and there’s always the risk of them becoming addicted to digital screens. The boards heat up a little too, raising classroom temperatures by a degree. Some countries, like Finland, have even shifted back from smart boards to traditional blackboards,” he said.

Fr. Mathew noted that teachers undergo training before smart boards are installed and that in case of power cuts, the panels can be closed to reveal a whiteboard as backup. Yet, he admitted the transition has wider consequences.

“Chalk factories will be out of business, and children may never know what a traditional blackboard is,” he added.

A fading industry

Several chalk factories in Assam, including a once-thriving unit in Bijoynagar, have already shut down. Workers in the remaining units are paid daily wages of Rs 200 to Rs 300, leaving livelihoods precarious.

The decline of chalk production reflects more than just a business downturn; it mirrors the digital divide in education. While urban schools race ahead with smart classrooms, rural schools continue to rely on low-cost chalk and blackboards.

The whiteboard boom wipes out chalk's market

Even as schools adopt China-made smart boards to keep pace with technology, Fr. Alex Mathew believes the future remains uncertain. “Smart boards themselves may one day be replaced by something more advanced—or perhaps schools might even return to blackboards,” he said.

The classroom’s silent revolution is rewriting livelihoods. For Assam’s chalk makers, survival hangs in balance as technology erases an industry once central to education’s most enduring symbol.