Bengaluru School Fee Of ₹7.35 Lakh For Class 1 Sparks Debate On Rising Cost Of Education

Bengaluru’s soaring private school fees have once again ignited debate after a post on social media revealed that an international school in the city is charging ₹7.35 lakh annually for a child entering Grade 1.

The viral post, shared on X by user Hardik Pandya, showed the annual fee structure for the 2025–26 academic session at an IB-affiliated school. The Primary Years Programme (Grades 1–5) requires parents to pay ₹3,67,500 per term, twice a year, totaling ₹7,35,000. On top of this, a non-refundable admission fee of ₹1 lakh and an application fee of ₹1,000 are collected at the time of enrollment.

For senior classes, the numbers rise further, students in Grades 11 and 12 face annual fees of nearly ₹11 lakh, placing the institution among the costliest private schools in India.

Pandya mentioned while sharing the snapshot, “Annual fee structure of primary school years at one of the better institutions in Bangalore. ₹7,35,000 per annum from Grade 1. Don’t miss the ₹1,00,000 non-refundable admission fees.”

The revelations have sparked intense discussion online, with many users pointing out that even well-paid IT professionals would struggle to bear such costs. The debate reflects growing concerns over the affordability of quality education and the widening gap between public and private schooling in India.

Netizens Reactions

The post also drew strong reactions online. One user remarked, “Sad. In most parts of the world, education is free. Here, it has become just a business and an earning machine.”

Another pointed out the long-term burden, saying, “Approx ₹40 lakh till Class 12, in that amount, one could even start a new business.”

Questioning the value of such steep fees, a user wrote, “And what do they really teach? It’s still the same ABCD and 1234. For Class 1, what rocket science is there anyway? Parents assume more money means more skills, while schools think more demand means higher fees. But ask yourself honestly, is your child learning ABCD faster than kids in normal schools?”

Defending the school’s right to set its prices, another comment read, “It’s a free market, pricing is up to individuals, and it’s the customer’s choice. But even then, this fee structure is unaffordable for an IT couple earning ₹50 lakh per annum with two children in school.”