Nearly half of Indian parents say school fees shot up by 50-80% in just 3 years: Survey

Hyderabad: Regarding the nationwide increase in school fees, a survey by LocalCircles has revealed that 44 per cent of parents said that school fees have increased by 50-80 per cent in the last three years.

Can only the rich afford education?

The survey also stated that 93 per cent of parents surveyed said their State governments have not been effective in controlling these hikes, despite promises to do so.

While the rich may be able to afford the exorbitant fees, middle-class and lower-income families face financial hardships, often sacrificing essential expenses or borrowing to prioritise their children’s education.

The affordability gap is also evident in national data. The government’s UDISE+ report shows a drop of over 1 crore students enrolled in schools from 2018 to 2024.

The LocalCircles report comes at a time when parents in cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru are already protesting steep increases, especially in private schools offering international curriculums. In Hyderabad, some schools have reportedly doubled their fees for early classes, like LKG to Class 3. In Bengaluru, fee hikes range from 10 per cent to 30 per cent, leaving parents fuming.

The survey asked parents/guardians of school-going children, “How much has the school your children/grandchildren go to increased the total fee in percentage terms in the last three years, i.e. between 2022 and 2025?” Out of 15,461 who responded to the question, 8 per cent stated an over 80% hike in fees; 36 per cent of respondents stated between 50-80 per cent hike; 8 per cent of respondents stated 30-50 per cent hike; 27 per cent of respondents stated 10-30 per cent.

Schools cite rising costs

The Association of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka has defended the hike, arguing that institutions need to revise teachers’ pay annually if they don’t want competitors to poach them. Also, there is an increase in associated teaching costs.

Parents are questioning the justification provided by schools, arguing that there’s little to no improvement in infrastructure or learning quality.

What is the legal perspective on schools increasing fees?

Although the Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that private schools can set their own fees, it also said that States can regulate them to prevent profiteering. Despite this, State-level action has either been ineffective or completely absent, parents said.

As AI-based self-paced learning becomes more accessible, some parents are even questioning whether traditional schools, especially expensive ones, are worth the cost anymore. “If quality and affordability are both missing, many families may soon turn to at-home learning using AI and online tools,” the report warned.

Scope of survey

The survey received over 31,000 responses from parents in 309 districts; 62 per cent of respondents were men while 38 per cent of respondents were women, 41 per cent of respondents were from tier 1, 25 per cent from tier 2 and 34 per cent of respondents were from tier 3, 4, 5 and rural districts.