April Madness: The School Year Begins, But at What Cost? It’s April—the season of new beginnings! Parents and students excitedly rush to bookstores, uniform shops, and stationery stores, buzzing with anticipation for the new academic year. But the moment they receive the bill for books, their dil (heart) starts pounding. The entire budget takes a hit, and to top it all off, the salary is yet to come. Before they can recover from the shock, another reminder arrives—the school fees notification. And just when they think they've seen it all, there’s more: changing uniforms, additional stationery, extra activities, and a list of must-have accessories that never seems to end. The euphoria dies down even before the classes have begun and the song from Peepli Live sounds like “Sakhi saiyan toh khoob hi kamaat hai, School dayain khaye jaat hai”. The Unchecked Rise in School Fees While education is essential, its affordability is becoming a nightmare for many parents. In some schools, fees have increased by as much as 20 to 30 percent. That’s an additional ₹1 to 2 lakh per year! And what can parents do? Very little. Schools justify these hikes with reasons ranging from infrastructure upgrades to faculty salaries, leaving parents with no choice but to comply. Hidden Costs That Drain Your Wallet School fees are just the beginning. The real financial burden extends to: Books & Stationery: Prices continue to rise, and publishers keep coming up with new editions, making second-hand books unusable. Uniforms: Many schools change designs frequently, forcing parents to buy new sets every year. Transport & Extra Activities: Bus fees for one year even though it operates for 8 months, special classes, annual functions—everything comes with a price tag. Coaching Fees: The Silent Burden School classrooms with 40-45 students make it nearly impossible for teachers to give individual attention. As a result, many parents have no choice but to enroll their children in coaching classes. And if the child is preparing for competitive exams like JEE or NEET, the hole in the pocket gets even bigger. School studies alone aren’t enough, the competition is tough, and the road ahead is rough. Parents can’t afford to compromise, so they stretch their budgets to ensure their child gets the best coaching. The story doesn’t end here for those who are taking competitive exams would have to shell out extra at the end for the entrance forms,travel etc which costs around 1 lakh. Yeh kahani ghar ghar ki hai—every household is feeling the pressure, but no one is listening. Where Does This End? With education becoming a business, parents feel helpless. The system ensures they have no alternatives—either they pay or compromise on their child’s education. Meanwhile, regulatory bodies do little to control these rising costs, and private schools operate with unchecked autonomy. The Parent’s Association is also silent on this issue and with parents being staggered just crib with broken rib (due to fees) and moves on. Time to Raise Our Voices Parents suffer in silence, but should they? If voices of parents unite, authorities may be forced to take action. The media can play a crucial role in highlighting these concerns. Why should quality education be a privilege only for the wealthy? If education is a right, why is it slipping out of reach for middle-class families? The Endless Dilemma: What Options Do Parents Have? Now, what options do parents really have? Getting admission into a good school is already an uphill battle, and switching schools isn’t always feasible. The reality is, this isn’t just one school’s story—it’s the same everywhere. Parents are stuck between a rock and a hard place, where education, instead of being a foundation for the future, has become a financial black hole. As bills pile up and stress levels soar, one wonders—are we raising educated children, or just teaching them that survival comes at an ever-increasing price? I get reminded of movie Hindi Medium where parent can go to any extent to get education for his child at any cost and he doesn’t mind even going for a toast…
