Soaring school fees turn private education into a luxury in Bengaluru

What once seemed like a reasonable investment in quality education has now begun to feel like a financial stretch for many parents. According to many parents, teachers and education activists, the fees for nursery-level education at some schools in the city are going up to ₹2 lakh per year and higher classes up to ₹15 lakh. As one of India’s fastest-growing urban centres, Bengaluru has long been considered a hub for educational excellence. But the city’s booming real estate, competitive academic landscape, and rising operational costs are now pushing private education into the realm of luxury.  

At the start of every academic year, Guru Raj braces to shell out money for more than just new uniforms and textbooks for his son. There is always that inevitable email announcing a fee hike from his son’s private school in Nagarbhavi locality in Bengaluru. Across the city, parents like Guru Raj face the annual trauma of school fee hikes. While adjusting for inflation is to be anticipated, there is no clear justification for the quantum of hike.

What once seemed like a reasonable investment in quality education has now begun to feel like a financial stretch for many parents. According to many parents, teachers and education activists, the fees for nursery-level education at some schools in the city are going up to ₹2 lakh per year and higher classes up to ₹15 lakh. As one of India’s fastest-growing urban centres, Bengaluru has long been considered a hub for educational excellence. But the city’s booming real estate, competitive academic landscape, and rising operational costs are now pushing private education into the realm of luxury.  

Shalini S., a mother of two said, “With cost of living rising, exorbitant fees are adding to our existing problems. I have two sons, and want them to go to the finest schools, but with Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Board schools and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools getting expensive, sending them to schools under the State Board is the only option we have now.” 

Jayanthi Mahesh, another parent, said that switching schools is also not an option. “A marginal hike in fees is understandable, but this drastic increase puts us in a difficult situation. And this is something that is happening almost every year. We can not change schools because we would need to pay admission fees and other costs again, which is more than the fee hike, yet staying means paying significantly higher fees,” she explained. 

According to Prashanth Kumar, a HR professional and a parent, schools refusing to explain the hikes is a key issue. “I have two children who go to two different schools. Every year, both these private schools hike fees by 20%-40%, no explanation, no improvement, just a new demand. Parents already struggling with job cuts, rising taxes, and home loans, are drowning financially and giving their children basic education has also become a struggle.” 

Even teachers admit to this problem. Vaishnavi K. (name changed), a school teacher who has worked with some of the well-known private schools having multiple branches in Bengaluru, said that recommending schools she works in is not her first choice. “A lot of my friends or relatives come to me asking for recommendations for schools for their children. I work with multiple schools as a freelancer, and they are top-notch, but when it comes to suggesting these schools to my close ones, I take a step back. Most of these schools charge anywhere from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹2 lakh just for nursery level education, and it just goes on increasing from primary and high school level. What is worse is that these schools charge an additional fee for transport, uniform, books, extracurricular activities and more, which translates to more than the fees of many less popular private schools that are not preferred by parents,” she added.

In April this year, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) had issued notices to three private schools in Bengaluru that follow the Central Board curriculum, following allegations that they are “unscientifically” charging exorbitant tuition and textbook fees. Private schools are allowed to increase their fees by 10% to 12% per annum, depending on the infrastructure and other facilities, making sure they publish the fee structure on the notice board of the school. The schools must also submit a report to the government in this regard. However, so far, no fee regulation has been formed at the government level to monitor this.