Mumbai Parents Struggle Under School Fee Hikes

Education, a very essential part of a human’s life, is becoming unaffordable in Mumbai. We do have the Right To Education but, can Mumbaikars pay for it? The school fee for the quality education of one student is now equivalent to the annual CTC of a middle-class man in Mumbai. Mumbai parents saw a shocking surge in school fees in 2024; some reported as much as a 65% hike annually, according to a Times Of India report.

Generally, the school fees increase by 10% to 15%. If it is a government school the amount is in thousands but if it is a private school the amount is in lakhs. Speaking about how parents manage household expenses to pay school fees of their children in Mumbai, Kalpana M. Sarmalkar, mother of two daughters told Lokmat Times that to pay for school fees parents have to cut down on other essential expenses or take loans so that their children can have a bright future. She said, “Salaries do not typically increase by 10% to 15% annually, yet school fees and related expenses continue to rise. As a result, parents are often forced to manage their finances by cutting other essential expenses or even resorting to loans.”

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Maharashtra's school fee regulations are less pronounced, giving educational institutions greater discretion over tuition prices. On this, she said, “When it comes to the question of affordability, it is important to note that parents have little choice but to submit formal letters or emails requesting financial consideration. A thorough examination of private and some aided schools' records would reveal the reality of the situation. The cost of educating even one child has become increasingly unaffordable. Moreover, a closer analysis of financial records would show that overhead expenses often exceed the 10 to 15% increase in fees, with some of these costs being collected in cash. This issue calls for greater transparency and a reassessment of educational expenses to ensure that quality education remains accessible to all families.”

What Is The Actual Reason Behind School Fees Hike In Mumbai?

Many schools stated that their expenses increase as they have to give a good hike to teachers, staff, and administration members. The rising costs of textbooks, uniforms, utilities, technology, infrastructure, and maintenance are cited by school management associations as major issues. Many schools did not impose a fee hike during COVID-19 and they claim that it caused a huge financial strain to the institutions.

Sharing the reason behind the fee hike, Mr. Jitendra Karsan, Chairman of Safari Kid said that schools across Mumbai are facing financial challenges. He said, “The financial situation currently faced by the schools in Mumbai is also important while addressing the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have on us. To offer support to the families, the schools did restrain their fee hikes then, but many are now facing the challenges of recovering their financial losses experienced during the period. Recently, the National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA) also stated that a significant number of private schools, especially in Mumbai, experienced major financial losses during the pandemic. As a result, many who decided to recover from these shortfalls had to raise their fees while still withstanding the families facing ongoing economic difficulties.”

He further blamed the hike in property rates in Mumbai as many schools function on rented land, or rent land for sports activities. He said, “The rental market has changed dramatically, leaving many schools struggling to stay afloat. Many institutions had to rebuild, absorbing substantial financial hits as they struggled to recover from previous losses. To make matters worse, property values have since skyrocketed by 50–100%. This has made it even more challenging for the preschool industry…