Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Several parent and child rights associations have jointly demanded the Telangana government enact a law to regulate private school fees, citing growing concerns over arbitrary and steep fee hikes that are pushing families into financial hardship.  

In a press conference held at the Somajiguda Press Club on Monday, representatives from the Mothers’ Association, Dalit Bahujan Front (DBF), National Platform for Child Rights (NPCR), and Hyderabad Schools Parents Association (HSPA) came together to voice their concerns. MLC Kodandaram also participated in the event, supporting the demand for government intervention in fee regulation.  

“Fees for Class 1 in some private schools have reached a minimum of Rs 25,000. This is not sustainable for middle- and lower-income families,” said P. Shankar from DBF. He added that a formal complaint had already been submitted to the State Commission and stressed the urgent need for fee regularization laws. Shankar also emphasized improving government schools to provide competitive education options.  

Venkat Sainath, President of HSPA, noted that the private education sector in Telangana has become a business estimated at Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 crore annually. He criticized schools for forcing parents to purchase books, uniforms, and other materials only from the institution, further adding to financial pressure.  

The associations expressed concern over unethical practices by some private schools, such as sending students home for non-payment of fees, public humiliation, and denial of admission—all of which violate the Right to Education (RTE) Act.  

“We are not against private education,” said S. Nagaraja of NPCR. “But there must be transparency and strict accountability. The government must implement the RTE Act effectively and bring in legislation to regulate school fees.”  

All the organizations urged the government to take immediate steps to control fee exploitation in the private sector and strengthen the public education system to ensure equitable access to quality education for all.