'Parents paid the price': Noida doctor explains how soaring school fees are draining families and limiting their children’s future potential

For urban families across India, children’s education, once viewed as a path to opportunity, is increasingly a source of stress. The relentless rise in school fees is no longer just a financial concern, it is reshaping lifestyles, plans, and priorities for countless households.

Rising Fees: More Than Just Numbers

Dr Shraddhey Katiyar, a Noida-based doctor, recently shared a heartfelt post on X, highlighting the emotional strain that climbing school fees impose on parents. His message resonated widely, capturing the quiet sacrifices families make year after year.



“School fees don’t just test a parent’s income. They test their patience, their silence, and their endurance,” Katiyar wrote. Many families, he noted, adjust their lives silently, skipping holidays, postponing personal goals, or taking on extra work, simply to meet educational costs.

“Every year, the fees go up. Parents adapt quietly. Fewer vacations. Dreams on hold. Extra shifts. No complaints. Just silent perseverance,” he added.

Are Fee Hikes Justified?

Katiyar also raised concerns about the reasoning schools give for repeated fee increases. Despite promises of enhanced education quality, he observed, classrooms remain crowded, and teachers’ salaries often lag behind. “Education should not feel like a monthly threat,” he wrote, emphasising that learning must remain a right, not a financial burden.

When education becomes a luxury rather than a necessity, he warned, it shuts out children who deserve access and leaves families emotionally drained. “Education should lift families up, not leave them exhausted. Children often realise later that their parents bore the cost quietly,” Katiyar noted.

Parents Speak Out

The post sparked widespread discussion, with parents sharing experiences of financial strain caused by escalating school fees. Many described having to cut back on essential spending to keep up.

One parent wrote, “Too many unnecessary expenses. Teaching quality is low, but schools prioritise lavish facilities.” Another commented, “Most schools seem more like money-making factories than educational institutions. The focus is on profit, not the child’s learning experience.”

Others shared concerns about family planning, noting, “With annual fee hikes, having more than one child feels like a luxury.” Many highlighted the social pressure to remain silent, fearing reputational damage if unable to meet fee demands. “Schools operate like a cartel,” one user added. “Fees increase every year without proper explanation.”