Crushed by school fees? Parents rise in protest across major cities

Protests erupt across Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad as parents struggle to keep up with rising education costs

What should be a season of new beginnings for students has instead brought mounting anxiety for thousands of parents across India. A nationwide survey by LocalCircles has revealed that 81 per cent of parents with children in private schools have experienced a fee hike of more than 10 per cent this academic year.

 

In cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, the impact is being felt on the ground, with many schools raising fees by up to 50 per cent, driving families to the verge and causing widespread demonstrations.

 

Delhi at the epicentre of the storm 

In the national capital, frustration has spilled onto the streets. At Delhi Public School (DPS), Dwarka, parents have been protesting outside the school gates and the Directorate of Education (DoE), angered by recurring hikes that have pushed the annual fee to ₹1.4 lakh. According to them, the school has increased tuition fees every year since 2020, with annual jumps ranging from 8 per cent to 20 per cent.

 

 

And DPS Dwarka is not alone. 

Across the Delhi-NCR region, similar scenes are unfolding outside private unaided schools that have implemented sharp, often sudden, fee increases. Parents say they are being forced to make painful financial choices just to keep up. Despite efforts by the DoE to step in, many schools continue to raise fees under various heads. The situation worsened last year, when the Delhi High Court, in an interim order, allowed private schools to increase fees after submitting a fee statement under Section 17(3) of the Delhi School Education Act and Rules (DSEAR), 1973. The court’s decision effectively restricted the DoE’s authority to only checking for profiteering or capitation fees, leaving families with little recourse.

 

Karnataka steps in 

In Karnataka, growing pressure from parents has led the Department of School Education to issue a new circular. Schools are now required to publicly display detailed admission notifications, reservation policies, and full fee structures. They must also establish proper complaint redressal systems, while field education officers have been instructed to review and resolve grievances promptly. 

While the policy has been welcomed by many, for most families, it doesn’t go far enough.

 

Crisis is widespread 

The LocalCircles survey, which received over 18,000 responses from parents in 301 districts across India, paints a stark picture of how widespread the crisis has become. According to the data, 44 per cent of parents say school fees have risen by 50–80 per cent or more over the past three years. For families with children in higher classes, the costs are even steeper, as many also pay for private coaching alongside regular school fees.

 

Here’s what the survey found for the 2025–26 academic year: 

- 22 per cent of parents said the hike was over 30 per cent 

- 28 per cent reported a 20–30 per cent hike 

- 31 per cent experienced a 10–20 per cent increase 

- Just 3 per cent saw a hike of 5–10 per cent 

- 5 per cent reported no change 

- 3 per cent said the hike had not yet been announced 

- 8 per cent gave unclear or ambiguous responses

 

In total, 81 per cent of parents surveyed said their child’s school had raised fees by more than 10 per cent. For half of those, the increase exceeded 20 per cent.

 

The hikes aren’t confined to high-end schools or metro cities. The survey included a wide demographic: 

- 45 per cent of respondents were from tier 1 cities 

- 28 per cent from tier 2 cities 

- 27 per cent from tier 3 and 4 districts 

Among them, 61 per cent were men and 39 per cent were women.

 

Strained wallets, heavy hearts 

For many households, the pressure is now unbearable. Some parents are resorting to loans. Others are cutting back on essentials. The financial toll is steep—but so is the emotional one. For families who view quality education as the gateway to a better future, these relentless hikes feel like a broken promise.

 

As discontent spreads, parents and education activists are urging stronger action. They’re calling on the central government, through CBSE, and State Education Departments to cap annual fee increases and enforce compliance. Many are also advocating for district-level surveys and audits to ensure transparency and accountability.