Parents Worried as Private Schools Plan to Increase Fees by 20% Due to Rising Expenses

As milk prices, water tariffs, and other essential costs continue to rise, parents in Bengaluru now face another financial burden — a possible school fee hike of up to 20% by private institutions. This anticipated increase has triggered anxiety among households, especially those with school-going children in CBSE, ICSE, and international schools.

According to a report by the Times of India (ToI), private schools are planning substantial fee revisions citing increased operational expenses, much to the concern of parents and education activists.

Parents Raise Concerns Over Unregulated Hikes

BN Yoganand, state president of the Karnataka Private School and College Parents Association’s coordination committee, stated that parents are being forced to pay higher fees for tuition, books, and transport, sometimes even before the books are handed over. “There should be a scientific reason for the hike,” Yoganand told ToI.

Susheel K, a parent of an IGCSE grade 7 student, highlighted that such fee hikes are becoming an annual affair, happening without parent consent. “There’s no functioning parent-teacher association involved in these decisions. If we don’t agree to the fee hike, we’re left with no option but to withdraw our children,” he said. He also revealed that fees had crossed ₹2-3 lakh even in grade one.

School Management Associations Deny Steep Hikes

While some school associations and parents are pointing to a 20% hike, school management bodies have pushed back against these claims. Shashi Kumar, convener of the Karnataka Private Schools Management Teacher and Non-Teaching Coordination Committee, told ToI that a 10-15% annual hike is standard and schools are advised not to exceed this range unless absolutely necessary.

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A representative of the ICSE and CBSE schools’ association in Karnataka, speaking anonymously, claimed that there is a permissible ceiling of 12–15%, which schools adhere to. The representative also noted that no formal discussions have taken place with the education department yet this year.

Lack of Regulation Blamed for the Crisis

Prominent educationist Sripad Bhat blamed the situation on the collapse of public education and the lack of fee regulation. “DERA (District Education Regulatory Authority) exists in name but is non-functional. The RTE Act mandates transparency in the fee structure and prohibits development fees — but these rules are often flouted with no government action,” he stated.

Bhat also emphasized that the situation is multi-dimensional, reflecting broader issues in Karnataka’s education governance and public schooling infrastructure.

Need for Transparent Policy and Parent Involvement

With rising living costs and unregulated private school fee structures, Bengaluru parents are increasingly feeling the pinch. Experts and associations are calling for the urgent revival of regulatory mechanisms, better parent-school coordination, and government intervention to ensure education remains affordable and accessible for all.