A dark cloud looms over the parents of Bengaluru this academic year as they struggle to pay the exorbitant fees charged by private institutions; only to pay even more as their children move up each standard. Private schools in Bengaluru charge anywhere from ₹1.5 lakhs to ₹2 lakhs for nursery admission alone, and this amount doesn’t even cover the full expenses. Parents must spend an additional ₹30,000 or more on uniforms, books, stationery, transportation, and other “add-ons”. The availability of EMI options is further normalising these exorbitant rates, pushing families deeper into a debt-driven economy. Education is increasingly becoming a purchase; accessible only to those who can afford it.
While private schools are permitted to raise fees by 10–12% annually, they have failed to maintain transparency. Despite the RTE Act stating that the fee structure must be displayed on notice boards, most schools do not comply. The Act also prohibits charging development fees, yet many institutions flout this regulation. In the absence of a proper regulatory board or system to monitor these hikes, schools cite vague reasons for increasing fees, offering little to no clarity. If fee structures were made available on school websites or publicly accessible platforms, as mandated by the RTE, parents would not be obligated to unexpected financial demands beyond the established requirements; as they are in the name of add-ons. Despite pressure from parents and advocacy groups, the government appears unwilling to implement appropriate regulatory mechanisms.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Madhu Bangarappa, has stated that they have not received any formal notification regarding fee hikes and has advised parents who cannot afford private schooling to shift their children to government schools, limiting the role of the government to improving public school infrastructure while freeing them from the guilt of not holding private institutions accountable. Alarmingly, private schools are now partnering with third-party financers to push EMI schemes onto parents. Desperate families, unclear about the terms of the loan agreements, are often lured into debt and later subjected to harassment when they fail to meet installment payments.
The sudden increase in school fees is also linked to the multiplicity of schools, many of which are unauthorised, in the city. As enrollment drops in these institutions, they hike fees to maintain their profit margins. These unchecked fee increases are worsening the divide between families who can afford quality education and those who cannot. The Karnataka government’s passive stance on regulating private schools and its limited focus on strengthening public education have created an environment where private institutions, partnered with financiers, are turning education into a loan liability and a debt trap. As a result, education is becoming a luxury only the rich can afford.
