BENGALURU: As the school admission season kicks off, parents in Bengaluru are expressing frustration over soaring costs associated with application forms and prospectuses, which range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. Families are feeling the financial strain, prompting calls for greater regulation of the admission process.

Shobhit B, a resident of Sarjapur Road, shared his concerns, stating, “I have been saving for the past two years for my daughter’s admission to a private school in Sarjapur. Each form and prospectus costs no less than Rs 2,000, and my wife and I have been purchasing them early to secure the best options.” Similarly, Swathi L from Kanakapura Road recounted her experience of standing in line for over three hours to obtain an application for her son, which cost Rs 3,000. “Now we are scrambling to arrange the admission fee and donation amount,” she added.

Puneeth M from Whitefield noted a stark contrast in admission practices compared to other states, where the process begins in January or February. “In Bengaluru, the admission timeline is much tighter, starting in October and ending by December, leaving parents with limited options to evaluate school performance,” he lamented.

Jerry George Mathew, a member of the Anglo-Indian Schools Association, clarified that their schools are not profiting from the sale of application forms, which are in high demand. He acknowledged that while the association is reviewing the pricing, some schools believe they cannot lower costs.

D. Shashi Kumar, General Secretary of the Associated Management of English Medium Schools in Karnataka, pointed out the government’s limited authority in regulating admission fees and form costs. He mentioned that existing regulations often go unheeded by private schools.

Ritesh Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary of the School Education and Literacy Department, noted that while government schools do not issue forms, private institutions are expected to self-regulate. He assured that the government would look into the matter, given the rising concerns from parents.

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