Schools can’t collect bulk of fees upfront: Telangana human rights body orders action
For several days, parents across Hyderabad have been staging protests against steep fee hikes and additional charges imposed by private schools, alleging financial burden and lack of transparency by school managements.
The Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) has put a stop to some private schools demanding 50 per cent of the fees upfront before the start of the academic year. Chairperson Dr Justice Shameem Akther took a serious note of a complaint alleging that a private school in Boduppal was collecting 50% of the annual fee in advance for the academic year 2026–2027, along with advance payments for books and uniforms. The complaint was filed by a parent who stated that several schools were demanding a similar upfront fee, amounting to lakhs. The parent stated that he found that several other private schools in Hyderabad and the surrounding districts have sent messages to parents in this regard.
Observing that such practices are improper, arbitrary, and contrary to established legal principles prohibiting the commercialisation of education, the Commission reiterated that education is a fundamental right under Article 21 and cannot be treated as a profit-making activity. Taking cognisance of the undue financial burden imposed on parents and the lack of transparency in forcing purchases from specific vendors, the Commission recommended that the District Educational Officer, Medchal-Malkajgiri District, initiate appropriate action against all such schools and ensure compliance with fee regulation norms mandating phased collection. The Commission directed the authority concerned to report action taken within the stipulated time.
For several days, parents across Hyderabad have been staging protests against steep fee hikes and additional charges imposed by private schools, alleging financial burden and lack of transparency by school managements. At a school in Ramanthapur, parents gathered in large numbers and protested against increased fees and being asked to make payments upfront. Similar protests were held outside private schools in the Old City and Kukatpally.
According to the parents’ committee, school fees have increased by nearly 141% over the past four years.
Similarly, parents of students staged a protest outside a school in Shaikpet recently, alleging that despite assurances of limiting fee increases to 10 per cent once every three years, the school has been raising fees annually. Parents alleged that fees scheduled for July are being collected in March, along with additional charges under the second-term fee structure.
The protests prompted a reaction from Kalvakuntla Kavitha, President of the Telangana Rashtra Sena and Telangana Jagruti, who accused school managements of exploiting parents by imposing sudden hikes of 30% to 40%. Kavitha noted that nearly 38 lakh students are enrolled in around 12,000 private schools across the state and criticised these institutions for placing an excessive and unfair financial burden on parents. She questioned how poor and middle-class families can cope with sudden fee hikes of up to 40%, especially when incomes are not rising proportionately. She suggested that annual fee increases should be limited to 7% to 8%.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
