For thousands of parents in Hyderabad and across Telangana, the month of March doesn’t just bring the heat of summer—it brings the crushing anxiety of school admissions. While families are struggling to balance their monthly budgets, private and corporate schools have dropped a bombshell: a massive 30% to 40% hike in fees.
Stepping into this growing crisis, Telangana Jagruthi President Kalvakuntla Kavitha held a hard-hitting press conference at the Jagruthi office in Banjara Hills on Friday. Her message was clear: Education is a right, not a business to be exploited.
The Math of Misery
“Imagine a parent paying ₹1 lakh in fees. Suddenly, they are asked to shell out another ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 overnight. Where is this money supposed to come from?” Kavitha questioned, highlighting the plight of middle-class families.
The numbers she presented paint a grim picture of the state’s educational landscape:
- Out of 62 lakh students in Telangana, a staggering 38 lakh are enrolled in private institutions.
- Despite the high costs, schools like Narayana and Chaitanya—which house nearly 5 lakh students—are being accused of prioritizing profits over quality.
Kavitha didn’t mince words, calling the current situation “outright robbery.” She pointed out that while fees are skyrocketing, the teachers’ salaries remain stagnant, and basic rights like PF (Provident Fund) are often ignored.
Where is the Regulation?
The core of Kavitha’s demand is the immediate implementation of a Fee Regulation Act. She called on the state government to convene a Special Assembly Session specifically to address this “fee-mafia.”
“The Education Commission suggested a cap of 7% to 8% for annual fee hikes. Why isn’t the government enforcing this?” she asked. She further criticized the Revanth Reddy-led government for its perceived inaction, noting that while the Chief Minister was quick to criticize the previous BRS government, his administration has yet to take a single concrete step in three years.
More Than Just Books: The Safety Concern
The critique went beyond just the ledger books. Kavitha raised serious concerns regarding:
- Food Safety: With thousands of students eating food prepared in central kitchens, she warned of the catastrophic risks of food poisoning and demanded immediate raids by the Food Safety Task Force.
- The “North Indian” Influx: Kavitha noted a trend of coaching giants like Allen and PhysicsWallah entering the state but hiring almost exclusively from North India. “If you set up shop in Telangana, you must hire Telangana people,” she asserted.
- The Book Scam: Schools are allegedly charging up to ₹15,000 for sets of books that are worth barely ₹2,000, using their own printing units to bypass market rates.
The Ultimatum
The press meet wasn’t just a list of grievances; it was a call to action. Kavitha reminded the public of her track record in Nizamabad, where she successfully kept corporate giants at bay to protect local interests.
She ended with a stern warning to the government: If a Fee Regulation Committee isn’t formed and the “looting” isn’t stopped, Telangana Jagruthi will take to the streets.
“We will protest in front of every school that treats parents like ATM machines,” she declared.
