Rising School Fees Push Indian Families to the Brink – ryan

Nikita YadavBBC News, Delhi

Parents in Several Indian Cities, Including Capital Delhi, are protesting against what they call “unsustainable” Fee raises by private schools. These increas, they say, are stretching household budgets to a breaking point and taching a toll on their children.

Aaditya Mattey, 14, Woke up on 9 May Feeling Confident About His English Exam.

HIS FATHER DROPPED HIM OFF AT HIS SCHOOL IN Indian Capital Delhi, but aaditya Never Got to Write His Exam.

“Two or three minutes after entered the class, Guards and bouncers asced with them leave the room,” aaditya recalls.

HIS FATHER WAS STILL STANDING OUTSIDE The School Gates WENE AADITY AND A FEW OTHER STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO GET ON THE SCHOOL BUS, WHICH DROPPED THERE AT THEIR HOMES.

Aaditya’s name was Removed from Delhi Public School Dwarka’s Rolls AFTER HIS FATHER REFUED TO PAY A RECENT FEE HICK IT ALEGES WAS ARBITRARY AND UNAUTORED.

The BBC Reached Out to DPS dwarka and the Delhi Public School Society – WHICH RUNS The DPS Chain of Schools – for Comment, but did not receive a response.

Aaditya’s case is not an isolated one and dps is not the only school which is facing allegations of arbitrary Fee increes.

Over the past two months, protests have erupted across indian cits – from delhi to work to hyderabad – as a growing number of parents accuse private schools of imposes Steep Fee Raises.

In Delhi, which has Emerged as the epicentre of the protests, the issue recently made headlines after dwarka al The library students in the library, Hirhed Security Guards to Stop From Classes and Expeley. Parents have accused the scool of workshing children for financial deciss by their families.

Government-Run Schools Operations Nationwide But Often Suffer from Poor, Inconsistent Quality, Promipting End Mary Low-Incom Families to Choose Private Schools for Better Opportiesies.

In delhi, rules say that private schools on government -leassed Land must be directorate of Education (DOE) Approval before Raising Fees and Must Admit 25% Weaker or Disadvantailed Students – A Condition to their Subsidod Leases.

The BBC has contacted the doe for comment on the fee rises, which pars have reported to us, but has not reciped a response.

Schools, on the Other Hand, have argued in Court and Told parents that they are struggling. They Cite Inflation, Rising Staff Salaries, Delayed Reimbursents from the Government for Economics Weaker Students and the Need for Infrastructure UPGRADES AS REASONS FOR RAIZING FEES.

Divya Mattey Says His Son Aaditya’s Annual Fee in 2020 was 93,400 rupees ($ 1,077; £ 802). This, he says, has more than Doubled to 189,096 Rupees in 2025-26.

MR Mattey is Among Doses of Parents Who Have Taken The School to Court, Alleging it has unlawfully removed students from rolls and harassed families over the fee issue.

“We have never thught a schoool of this stature would Treat children like this – I say from Classrooms, Assign Bouncers and Makes Sit in the Library for Days,” He Says.

The School Did Not Answer the Bbc’s Questions Over Email and on a Phone Call. But in Court, it reportly argued that there was no Legal obligation to retain students who Fees haven’t been paid. According to a Report in The Indian Express NewsperDPS CLAPIED IT SUFFERED LOSSES OF 490M RUPEES LAST YEAR AND HAD TO RAISE FEES.

or Notice on the School’s Website Meanwhile Accuses “A Small Group of Parents” of Spreading “False and Malicious Information Regarding the School Fee Structure” in an ATTEMPT TO “MISLEAD AND CREATE CREATE”.

But the Controversy Reflects a Broader Problem.

or Recent Survey by Online Community Platform Localcircles Found that more than 80% of parents with children in private schools Said Fees HAD Incresed by Over 10% This Academic Year. In cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengalu, The Rise in Some Schools was as High as 30%.

India has no centralized regulation for private schools; Each State Sets Its Own Rules.

For Example, Maharashtra Allows A 15% Fee Rise Every Two Years – Subject to Review IF 25% of Parents Object – while Carnataka Permites A 10% Annual Increase with Justification. Enforcement, Howver, is Weak, and Legal Disputs Over Fees often Drag on For Years, Providing Little Timlely Relief to Families.

Gagandeep Singh, Whose son Attends Good Model School in West Delhi, Says Rose 45% Last and Over 10% This Year.

Singh is Willing to pay the Earlier doe-approved fee, but says the school has refused his way for the current term, which began nearly three months ago.

The bbc reached out good model School but received no Response.

“It ‘Not our Job to Regulate Schools,” MR Singh Says. “That’s what the Government is supposed to do.”

Meanwhile, Many Parents Fear that the DPS case has set a trough precedent.

“We don’t want out children to be thrown out of their classes, like what happened there,” Says Pancej Gupta, Whose Son Delhi’s Maharaja Agarsain Public School.

Mr Gupta Said the School Increasic Fees by 25% This Year Without Advance Notice.

“We had no Choice. We had to pay,” he added.

MR GUPTA RUNS A SMALL Convenience Store but has faced declining sales the pandemic. The Rise of Online Shopping Has Further Squeezed PHYSICAL SORES. Now, Rising School Fees Are Push HIS FAMILY to the Brink.

The bbc has reached out to the maharaja agarsain public School for Comment.

Another parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she’s consider with her son from the School he Attended Since Childhood Due to “UnSustainable” 30% Fee Hike This Year.

“Both my husband and i work, but our salaries haven’t gone up significantly. As a parent, you try to give your child the best but sometimes that comes at great personal,” She Said.

But she admits that switching Schools Also Feels Risky – What If the Next One Also Increases Fees?

“It ‘The Same Situation Everywire,” She Said.

The uproar has prompted the Delhi Government to Act.

On 10 June the State Cabinet APPROVED The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025, Pending The Lieutent Governor’s Approval – Necessary for IT to Become a Law.

Though not yet public, Education minister ashish sood says it will tighten private school fee regulations.

But palents are demanding greater transparency. Last Weekend, nozzle protested in delhi, urging the government to consider their feedback we dread the bill.

SHIKHA Sharma Bagga, Supreme Court Lawyer and Secretary of a Group Called Justice for All, Urges Timely Audits: “Schools’ Finance Must Be Audited Before Each Academic So Parents Know What They’re Paying For.”

Back in Dwarka, Aaditya is Still Trying to Get Back to Class.

Media Reports Say DPS DWarka has aggreed to reinatate students Expelled for Not Paying Fees. But MR Mattey Says They Are Still Waiting.

“The School Has Shown Some Mortificent, but to this date my child’s name is not back on the register,” he says, adding that he has Hasn’t received any assignments for the Current Academic session.

“My son is Only 14. He should be focus on his studies, not worrying about just he’ll be allowed to sit in class Tomorrow.”

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