Karnataka private school fees hike burdens parents; calls grow to adopt TN model
Citing reasons such as increased teacher salaries and rising maintenance costs, schools have been hiking admission fees every year. While some schools have increased fees by around 5 per cent, others have raised them by 10-15 per cent
The heat of fee hikes is already burning a hole in parents’ pockets in Karnataka, even as the admission process for the 2026-27 academic year has just begun in private schools. Alongside examinations, private schools have also started admissions. However, in the absence of an effective fee regulation system in the state, the financial burden on parents continues to rise.
Citing reasons such as increased teacher salaries and rising maintenance costs, schools have been hiking admission fees every year. While some schools have increased fees by around 5 per cent, others have raised them by 10-15 per cent. In addition, there are allegations that separate charges are being collected under various heads, such as tuition fees, uniforms, books, and transport facilities.
Parents object to fee hikes
Parents have demanded that Karnataka implement a fee regulation system similar to the one in Tamil Nadu, where a dedicated fee regulation committee is in place. They argue that such a system would help curb arbitrary fee hikes by private school managements.
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“Frequent fee hikes by private schools are becoming a burden for poor and middle-class families. Increasing fees every year has become a habit for these institutions. The state government must intervene immediately,” KC Mariyappa, a parent from Chikkabidarakallu village, told The Federal Karnataka.
RTE seats; confusion among parents
Students who secured admission under the Right to Education (RTE) Act from Classes 1 to 8 are now being asked to pay fees for admission to Class 9. Although the state government has decided to extend RTE benefits up to SSLC (Class 10) for students from Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), the absence of an official circular has created confusion, forcing parents to bear the cost for Class 9 admissions.
RTE and child rights activist Nagasimha G. Rao told The Federal Karnataka that many parents have been calling and expressing their distress over the situation.
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He also pointed out that every school must display details of its fee structure on the notice board. However, despite complaints about fee hikes in many schools, there have been no instances of action taken by authorities. In the case of CBSE and ICSE schools, complaints must be submitted to their respective boards. Even when complaints are registered online, there is little response from officials. He added that a lack of unity among parents has prevented effective resolution of such issues, and suggested that a collective campaign could bring about meaningful change.
Demand for TN model system
Even where the state government has formed fee regulation committees, private schools continue to collect money under various heads such as development fees, building funds, and extracurricular activities, leaving parents distressed.
There is a growing demand to adopt a Tamil Nadu-style fee regulation committee to rein in arbitrary fee hikes. Parents believe that such a system would prevent schools from increasing fees at will and provide much-needed relief.
How does the Tamil Nadu model work?
In Tamil Nadu, the government has set up a special committee to regulate fees in private schools. This high-level committee, formed under the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009, is headed by a retired High Court judge.
Private schools cannot increase fees arbitrarily. They must first submit detailed proposals to the committee, justifying the hike based on infrastructure, teacher salaries, and other expenses. The committee reviews the facilities and administrative costs before approving a reasonable fee structure. Once fixed, the fee remains valid for three years.
Charging even one rupee more than the prescribed amount is considered a violation, attracting penalties and even cancellation of recognition. Schools are also required to display the approved fee structure on their notice boards.
Opportunity for parents to file complaints
Under Tamil Nadu’s transparent system, parents can directly approach the committee if a school demands fees beyond the approved amount or collects money in the name of donations.
This system has helped curb the commercialisation of education and reduced the financial burden on middle-class families. Parents in Karnataka are therefore pressing for a similar strict framework in the state.
What is the fee regulation system in Karnataka?
Karnataka does have legal provisions to regulate private school fees, but the system differs from Tamil Nadu. Although the Karnataka Education Act, 1983 provides for regulation, the state follows a fee determination formula.
According to this formula, schools can fix fees by adding 30-35 per cent of the total staff salary (as development cost) to the tuition fee.
District-level committees, headed by Deputy Commissioners (DCs), have been set up across the state. If any school charges more than the prescribed formula or harasses parents, complaints can be filed with these committees. They have the authority to examine audit reports and impose penalties on erring schools.
However, court rulings by the Supreme Court and High Courts have stated that while private schools should not operate with a profit motive, they are free to collect reasonable fees necessary to run the institution. This has been cited as one of the reasons behind unchecked fee hikes.
The key difference between the two states is that Tamil Nadu has a centralised, state-level committee that fixes fees for all schools, whereas in Karnataka, schools determine fees based on a formula, and the government intervenes only when complaints are filed.
Parents demand 90-day age relaxation
The state government has provided a 60-day age relaxation for school admissions, benefiting around one lakh children. However, nearly four lakh children are still at risk of being left out. Parents are demanding that the relaxation be extended to at least 90 days.
If the government agrees, admissions to LKG, UKG, and Class 1 in private schools are expected to rise. This could further benefit private schools, many of which have already increased fees by 10-20 per cent.
Why is there no strict regulation?
A major criticism is that many policymakers in Karnataka themselves own educational institutions, leading to weak enforcement of fee regulation.
Large private educational institutions are often linked, directly or indirectly, to influential politicians. When lawmakers themselves are stakeholders, conflicts of interest tend to arise. Moreover, education has increasingly become a business. With political parties receiving donations from such institutions, it becomes difficult for any government to take a firm stand on fee regulation.
Overall, concerns about the commercialisation of education are growing louder. It remains to be seen whether the government will take stringent steps to protect parents’ interests and bring private school fees under control.
(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)
