Gurgaon: Class 3 Student’s Father Cries Over Unexplained Fee Hike, Sparks Parental Concern

In Gurgaon, a father’s online post detailing his son’s annual school fee increase has struck a chord with fellow parents. Udit Bhandari, the user on X, shared his grievances, shedding light on the growing financial strain caused by escalating school fees.

Bhandari, expressing his frustration, mentioned that his son, a student in Class 3, faced a significant hike in fees without any explanation from the school administration. According to him, the fees have been consistently increasing by 10% per annum, with no transparency regarding the reasons behind the surge. He lamented that the higher fees simply appeared on the payment app without any prior notice or clarification. When parents raised concerns, they were met with the suggestion to seek alternative schooling options for their children.

This post surely has hit a raw nerve! My son is in Grade 3 and it's a reputed CBSE school in Gurgaon. School fees is Rs. 30000/month including meals (excluding bus). If this continues to compound at 10% it would be nearly Rs. 9,00,000 per annum when he's in 12th.

— Udit Bhandari (@GurugramDeals) April 9, 2024

In a subsequent tweet, Bhandari highlighted the potential financial burden families could face due to these escalating fees. He revealed that his son’s current fees amounted to Rs. 30,000 per month, including meals but excluding transportation. If this trend continues, the annual fees could skyrocket to nearly Rs. 9,00,000 by the time his son reaches Class 12.

Since its posting a few days ago, Bhandari’s message has garnered widespread attention, accumulating over 8.9 lakh views and approximately 6,100 likes. Comments from other X users echoed similar sentiments, with many sharing their own experiences of exorbitant school fees and opaque fee structures.

One user cited the example of a popular school chain, expressing frustration over annual fee hikes, inflated prices of textbooks, and mandatory purchases of school supplies. Others highlighted the staggering costs associated with education, with fees reaching as high as Rs. 35 lakhs per annum for certain grade levels.

The overarching sentiment among commenters was a call for transparency and accountability in the education system, emphasizing the need to address the issue of unexplained fee hikes, which have become increasingly common in private schools.