Telangana Moves To Control The Private Schools Fees Hike  

School education in Hyderabad has been turning into a financial stress point for thousands of middle-class families, with school fees rising sharply year after year. What was once a predictable annual expense has become a moving target, often started increasing without warning and well beyond inflation. The Telangana Government against this backdrop, is preparing a major intervention that could bring long-awaited relief to parents. 

The state’s School Education Department has proposed a regulation that would restrict private and corporate schools from raising tuition fees by more than eight percent once in two years. This move would mark a significant shift in how school fees are regulated across Telangana, particularly in urban centers like Hyderabad where complaints of sudden and steep hikes have multiplied. 

Officials say that this mechanism is designed to prevent the arbitrary revisions and to ensure that the fee increases are backed by the genuine financial necessity of the students rather than a commercial ambition. The proposal is aimed at addressing what many parents describe as “unchecked escalation” of fees. At present, several private schools revise their fees annually, with increases typically ranging from 10 to 12 percent. In some cases, the hikes have been far more drastic, leaving families hard to cope financially. 

The proposed framework seeks to introduce predictability and uniformity. Under the plan, schools would be permitted to revise fees only once every two academic years, and the cumulative increase during that period would be capped at eight percent. Any school seeking to exceed this limit would be required to obtain prior approval from the government. 

Such requests would be examined by the State Fee Regulatory Committee, which would scrutinize the institution’s financial records, including income, expenditure, infrastructure costs, and staff salaries.  

The proposal comes after several high-profile cases of excessive fee hikes triggered public outrage. In some Hyderabad schools, parents reported increases of up to 65 percent in a single academic cycle. Media reports also drew attention to a prominent school in Bachupally where the annual fee reportedly climbed to Rs. 3.7 lakh, reigniting debate over affordability and oversight in private education. While the government’s move has been welcomed by parent associations, it represents a departure from earlier recommendations. 

Government officials acknowledge these concerns but insist that the proposed cap strikes a balance between sustainability and affordability. The regulation would apply to private and corporate schools across Telangana, not just Hyderabad. However, whether it will be cleared and enforced in time for the upcoming academic year remains uncertain. 

For now, the proposal has already sparked intense debate among parents, educators, and policymakers. For families struggling with shrinking household budgets, the promise of a regulated, predictable fee structure offers hope that school education may no longer come with financial surprises.