44% Indian parents say their kids’ schools have hiked fees by 50-80% in 3 yrs—LocalCircles survey

New Delhi April 6 dmanewsdesk:  Massive fee hikes in schools is increasingly becoming a matter of concern for parents across the country. Of the 31,000 parents surveyed across 309 districts of India, 44 percent reported that their children’s schools have raised fees by 50-80 percent over the past three years, while eight percent said that the hike exceeded 80 percent, according to a new survey.

The survey by LocalCircles, a citizen engagement platform, was released Thursday. The report reveals alarming trends in the affordability of private education. “With affordability of school education becoming a huge concern, and AI promise of self-paced learning platforms, a few parents are even questioning the relevance of schools,” it highlighted.

Private schools, especially those offering international curricula, charge higher fees, revealed the report, adding that while the upper-income group 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.

Moreover, the burden, according to the survey, has been felt across cities, with parents in Hyderabad protesting earlier this year against private schools demanding double the existing fees for lower kindergarten (LKG) to class 3 admissions. In Bengaluru, parents have objected to fee hikes ranging from 10 to 30 percent for the 2025-26 academic year.

“The annual increase in school fees has become an unchecked burden,” the report quotes a parent, who had posted on social media platform X. “We are struggling with job cuts, rising taxes, and home loans. The government needs to step in.”

Currently, rising school fees are a growing concern across cities. While parents continue to express outrage, schools cite increased operational costs and salary hikes as the reason.

Source: The print