In today’s world, education is reaching new heights—not just internationally but within India too. Here, we’re not just talking about higher education, but schooling as well. Recently, a former IITian raised concerns about the soaring cost of education in India, sparking an online debate. Rishab Jain, an IIT Bombay alumnus and Jaipur-based entrepreneur, shared the fee structure of a reputed international school in the city. According to his post on X (formerly Twitter), enrolling a Class 1 student would cost approximately Rs. 4.27 lakh per year in his daughter’s school. This, according to him, is unaffordable, even for families with an annual income of around Rs. 20 lakh.
International schools of India: How much do they cost?
This post ignited an online discussion and raised an important question: Is education in India, especially in international schools, really that expensive? To explore this issue, we examined the fee structures of five top-ranking international schools in major Indian cities, as ranked by Cfore Rankings 2024. These schools have earned their top spots based on performance across 16 categories, including teaching quality, curriculum relevance, leadership, infrastructure, academic rigor, sports, and extracurricular activities. Here’s a look at the approximate annual fee structures of these leading international schools:
| Name of the school |
City | Approximate annual fee structure |
| DPS International School | Delhi | Approximate annual fee ranges between Rs. 7.66 lakh to Rs. 10.88 lakh |
| Dhirubhai Ambani International School | Mumbai | Approximate annual fee ranges between Rs. 1.7 lakh to Rs. 9.65 lakh |
| Legacy School | Bengaluru | Approximate annual fee is around Rs. 3.68 lakh |
| The Gaudium School | Hyderabad | Approximate annual fee ranges between Rs. 2.3. Lakh to Rs. 5.95 lakh |
| The Riverside School | Ahmedabad | Approximate annual fee ranges between Rs. 1.75 lakh to Rs. 1.91 lakh |
The average fee of the above-mentioned schools hovers between Rs. 3.42 lakh and Rs. 6.21 lakh. It’s important to note that the fee structure mentioned above is approximate. For accurate details, including refundable, non-refundable, optional, and additional fees, parents and guardians are advised to contact the school authorities directly.
Indian parents struggle with the fees of high-end schools
This brings us to the key question raised by Rishab’s post: Is this affordable for a middle-class family in India? In his post, he pointed out that nearly 50% of an individual’s income is taken by the government in the form of taxes—such as income tax, GST, VAT on petrol, road tax, toll tax, professional tax, capital gains tax, and land registry charges. On top of that, individuals must pay premiums for term insurance, health insurance, and contribute to Provident Funds (PF) and the National Pension Scheme (NPS) for old-age benefits. After these deductions, the remaining salary must cover essentials like food, clothing, rent or EMIs, savings, or, in many cases, school fees.
Across India, many parents are grappling with rising school fees, reflecting the growing commercialization of education. While prestigious schools justify the high tuition fees by offering quality education and superior infrastructure, the affordability issue remains pressing. With taxes, insurance premiums, and essential expenses consuming a significant portion of income, paying such high fees becomes increasingly difficult for many. This situation mirrors the commercialization of education, prompting debates about whether education is becoming a luxury only accessible to the affluent. Parents across the country are questioning the fairness and sustainability of these fee structures.
This is not an isolated case. Here are a few other examples that have recently surfaced.
A couple of months back, in October, an ENT surgeon shared an image on X of an exorbitant charge for a parents’ orientation session: Rs. 8,400. He tweeted, “₹8400 INR parent orientation fee!!! No parent will ever agree to pay even 20% of this for a doctor’s consultation.”
In September 2024, a parent revealed that a prominent school in Hyderabad had implemented a staggering 65% fee hike for a four-year-old child transitioning from nursery to LKG. The fees surged from Rs. 2.3 lakh in 2023 to Rs. 3.7 lakh for the 2024 academic year. Read our report here.
In April this year, Udit Bhandari, a Gurugram-based entrepreneur, raised concerns on social media about the steep annual fee hikes at his son’s school. Posting on X, he revealed that his son, currently in Class 3 at a reputed CBSE school in Gurugram, incurs an annual tuition fee of Rs. 3.6 lakh, equivalent to a monthly fee of Rs. 30,000. This amount includes meals but excludes transportation costs. Bhandari expressed concern that, at the current rate of a 10% annual fee hike, the cost could escalate to nearly Rs.9 lakh by the time his son reaches Class 12. He also criticized the lack of transparency, stating that the school imposes these increases without explanation, simply updating the payment app with the revised fees.
Last words
The rising cost of education in India is a growing concern for many middle-class families. While schools justify the high fees by offering quality education and superior infrastructure, the affordability issue remains a pressing challenge. With taxes, insurance premiums, and essential expenses taking up a large portion of income, paying these high fees is becoming increasingly difficult. This trend highlights the commercialization of education and sparks debates about whether it is turning into a luxury only accessible to the affluent. Parents across the country are questioning the fairness and sustainability of these fee structures.
