Rs 4.27 Lakh School Fees For Class 1, Can Middle-Class Afford?

A Jaipur resident Rishabh Jain shared the fee structure of a city school and revealed that the fees for the entire year would amount to Rs 4.27 lakh. “This is the price of quality education in India. Can you afford it even if you earn 20 lakh a year?" he added.

Jain elaborated in his post on X, “My daughter will start Grade 1 next year, and this is the fee structure of one of the schools we are considering in our city. Note that other good schools also have similar fees." He lamented, “Good education is a luxury – which the middle class can not afford," 

He even shared a breakdown of the school fees: “Registration charges: ₹2,000; admission fees: ₹40,000; caution money (refundable): ₹5,000; annual school fees: ₹2,52,000; bus charges: ₹1,08,000; books & uniform: ₹20,000. Total: ₹4,27,000 per year!"

Jain pointed out that even individuals earning Rs 20 lakh a year are unlikely to afford sending their children to a good school, adding, “50% of your $20k income is extorted by the government in the form of Income Tax, GST, VAT on petrol, Road tax, Toll Tax, Professional tax, Capital Gain, Land Registry charges and so on. Then you still have to pay for term insurance, health insurance premiums, and PF, NPS for an old age pension. At 20L income, you fall in the highest 30% + CESS tax bracket, do not qualify for government schemes, and do not receive any freebies or loan waivers like the rich."

“In the remaining ₹10L, either you can have food and clothes, pay rent or EMIs, and save something or you can pay school fees for your two kids. Decide!" he concluded.

The post, since being shared a day ago on the microblogging platform, went viral with over a million views. It also attracted a lot of comments. While some sided with the father’s concerns over school fees, others presented contrasting perspectives.