Noida doctor’s viral outcry over rising school fees sparks debate: ‘A monthly threat’

Dr Shraddhey Katiyar, a doctor based in Noida, shared a deeply resonant post on X about the emotional toll of escalating education costs.

4 min readNew DelhiFeb 5, 2026 05:35 PM IST

Indian education system school fees hike

In his post, Katiyar observed that the burden of school fees goes far beyond numbers on a receipt

For many urban families in India, children’s education, once seen as a stepping stone to a better life, is fast becoming a constant source of anxiety. The steady rise in school fees is no longer just a budgeting concern; it’s reshaping how parents live, plan, and sacrifice.

This growing unease was recently articulated by Dr Shraddhey Katiyar, a doctor based in Noida, who shared a deeply resonant post on X about the emotional toll of escalating education costs. His words struck a chord with parents who feel the pressure but rarely voice it.

In his post, Katiyar observed that the burden of school fees goes far beyond numbers on a receipt. “School fees don’t just test a parent’s income. They test their silence,” he wrote, pointing to how families quietly reorganise their lives year after year to keep up.

According to him, the increases are absorbed silently, holidays are skipped, personal ambitions are postponed, and extra work hours are taken on. “Every year, the number rises. And parents quietly adjust life around it. Fewer vacations. Delayed dreams. Extra shifts. No complaints. Just quiet sacrifice,” he added.

Katiyar also questioned the justification often given by schools for repeated fee hikes. He noted that despite promises of “quality education,” many classrooms remain crowded and teachers stay underpaid. “A child’s future should not feel like a monthly threat,” he wrote, arguing that education should not feel like a looming financial warning.

He warned that when schooling begins to resemble a luxury rather than a basic right, it inevitably shuts out deserving children. What was meant to empower families, he said, is now leaving them emotionally drained and financially stretched. “Education was meant to uplift families, not exhaust them,” Katiyar noted, adding that children often grow up realising “their parents paid the price, silently.”

Check out the post:

School fees don’t just test a parent’s income.
They test their silence.

Every year, the number rises.
And parents quietly adjust life around it.
Fewer vacations. Delayed dreams. Extra shifts.
No complaints. Just quiet sacrifice.

We are told it’s for “quality education.”
But…

— Dr SHRADDHEY KATIYAR (@Wegiveyouhealt1) February 3, 2026

The post sparked widespread discussion online, with parents sharing similar frustrations. Several shared how rising school fees had changed their daily lives, forcing them to cut back on basic needs.

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One user commented, “Too much unnecessary expenses. Quality of teaching is low and lavish schools is priority it seems.” Another user commented, “Our school system is mostly a waste. Not sure about the IBs of the world, but most of the others are just running, making money, without putting any substantial effort towards the kids. They feel like a factory delivering low quality output, which is not going to be useful.”

A third person added, “Seeing the fees and fee hike every year ,one is bound to feel that why have kids…and if it is necessary than have 1 kid.2 kids is luxury nowadays.”

A fourth individual added, “Nowadays parents choose to remain silent bcoz if they speak against it their reputation will be damaged that they are not able to pay fees.” A fifth user wrote, “The schools have become like a cartel , all of them simply hike fees every year without any justification.”