Datanomics: Tuition fees witness a higher increase at school level

While overall education services saw retail price inflation below 4% in the first half of the current calendar year, tuition fees at higher education levels remained in the range of 3.5% to around 4%

Even as students protest the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Neet) paper leaks, another aspect of education services needs attention: how tuition fees have moved recently. While overall education services saw retail price inflation below 4 per cent in the first half of the current calendar year, tuition fees at higher education levels remained in the range of 3.5 per cent to around 4 per cent. This rate closely tracks middle-school inflation, despite differing month-wise movements, and remains higher than primary-school inflation. However, over a longer period, tuition fees at lower and middle levels saw a greater increase. Tuition fees at primary and higher secondary levels rose 6 per cent to around 9 per cent in the first six months of 2026 compared to the base year of 2024. However, tuition fees for higher education levels rose 4-6 per cent over the base year. Contrary to popular perception, coaching and tuition centres saw prices move in the range of 3-4 per cent over this period.