As the new academic year begins, many parents across India are grappling with steep hikes in private school fees, with 81% of them reporting an increase of more than 10%. The rising cost of education is placing immense financial pressure on families, especially in cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, where some parents have even resorted to loans to manage the burden.
In Delhi, the issue has triggered ongoing protests by hundreds of parents. Despite repeated interventions by the Directorate of Education (DoE), several private schools have revised their fee structures significantly, citing different administrative heads. Last year, a Delhi High Court interim order allowed schools to increase fees after submitting a fee statement under Section 17(3) of the Delhi School Education Act and Rules, 1973. This move has weakened the DoE’s oversight powers and made it difficult to curb unjustified hikes.
A similar situation is unfolding in Karnataka, where the Department of School Education has mandated that schools provide clear information on fee structures and reservation policies in their admission notifications. Authorities have also instructed schools to set up proper complaint redressal systems and asked field officers to swiftly resolve fee-related grievances.
A recent nationwide survey conducted by LocalCircles, which received over 18,000 responses from parents across 301 districts, revealed alarming trends. About 44% of parents reported that their children’s school fees had increased by 50-80% or more in the past three years. The burden is even heavier for high school students, who often need additional private coaching for competitive exams.
In response to the question about the fee hike for the 2025-26 academic year, 22% of parents reported increases of over 30%, 28% cited a 20-30% hike, and 31% said the hike was between 10-20%. Only 5% said there was no change, while a small number said the fee hike hadn’t been announced yet or didn’t respond clearly. This data shows that in 50% of the cases, the fee hike was above 20%.
The survey also highlighted the diverse nature of fee structures, which vary depending on factors such as curriculum type (CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE, IB) and class level. With rising education costs and limited regulation, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to afford private schooling for their children.
