The spiralling cost of private education in Bengaluru has once again come under scrutiny following two viral social media posts. On Friday, a Reddit user highlighted a preschool charging over Rs 1.85 lakh per year, asking if it was reasonable. Two days later, a post on X revealed fees at an international school: Rs 7.35 lakh for Class 1, rising to Rs 11 lakh for Classes 11 and 12, sparking debate about affordability even for high-earning families.

Perspective from school associations

The Associated Managements of English Medium Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) called blanket criticism unfair. Its general secretary, D Shashi Kumar, noted that of Bengaluru’s 5,000+ private schools, only 0.5% charge Rs 5 lakh or more.

  • About 90% charge Rs 30,000–50,000 per year
  • 5% charge Rs 50,000–1.5 lakh
  • The remainder fall between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh

Kumar said a fee of Rs 75,000–1.25 lakh is reasonable for schools offering comprehensive facilities, while blaming parents for treating higher fees as a status symbol. Private schools have no fee cap but must limit surplus profits to 15%.

Concerns over transparency

Parents’ groups argue the fee structure lacks transparency. B N Yogananda, president of the Karnataka Private School College Parents Association Coordination Committee, said Bengaluru has stalled efforts to form fee determination committees, unlike 21 other states. He stressed that schools should submit fees for verification against per-child expenditure.

Location and convenience factor

Parents cited location and convenience as major reasons for choosing high-fee schools:

  • Manasa Joshi, a Kathak teacher, pays Rs 1.8 lakh for her daughter’s preschool in Padmanabhanagar due to proximity and quality.
  • A Yeshwanthpur security guard pays Rs 50,400 for his son’s Class 7 education as nearby government schools are full.
  • Entrepreneur Suresh moved to Gunjur for proximity to IT hubs and schools but finds most primary schools charge above Rs 2.5 lakh.

Some migrant families opt for international schools that do not mandate Kannada as a second language, prioritising transferable jobs and long-term utility.

Exclusionary environments and rising household burden

Parents have expressed concern about fees rising 10–15% every alternate year. Many say the high cost forces families to:

  • Choose homeschooling
  • Delay having children
  • Limit the number of children

A C V Raman Nagar resident noted that unchecked fees could create exclusionary environments, limiting children’s interaction with peers from diverse backgrounds.

Schools cite definite costs

Educators emphasised the operational costs behind fees:

  • Rent and teacher salaries are the largest expenditures
  • Counselling, extracurricular activities, and government compliance add to costs
  • Initial government compliance can cost Rs 15–30 lakh in the first year

Prarthana Gupta, running a south Bengaluru academy, said many schools are not profitable initially, breaking even only after 15 years. Nooraine Fazal, of Inventure Academy, suggested schools should provide a fee projection from KG to Class 12 to help parents plan, noting that quality education requires investment in teacher training and infrastructure.

Conclusion

The debate over private school fees in Bengaluru highlights a tension between quality education and affordability. While schools argue that costs reflect necessary investments, parents continue to face rising financial pressure, with calls for more transparency and regulation gaining momentum.