E-Paper
'Even IT couples can’t afford': Bengaluru school’s ₹7.35 lakh fee for grade 1 divides internet
A viral post revealed a Bengaluru school's fee structure of ₹7.35 lakh per year for Grade 1, prompting discussions on private education costs in India.
A Bengaluru-based international school has gone viral online after a social media post revealed its steep fee structure, with parents shelling out as much as ₹7.35 lakh a year for a child entering Grade 1.
The fee details were shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user named Hardik Pandya, who posted a snapshot of the annual charges for the 2025–26 academic year at an IB-affiliated institution in the city.
According to the document, the Primary Years Programme (Grades 1–5) requires parents to pay a term fee of ₹3,67,500, collected twice a year, bringing the annual total to ₹7,35,000. Additionally, the school charges a non-refundable admission fee of ₹1 lakh, payable at the time of enrollment, along with an application fee of ₹1,000.
The costs climb further in higher grades, with the Grade 11 and 12 programme pegged at ₹11 lakh annually, making it one of the costliest fee structures for a private school in India.
HT.com could not independently verify the fee details.
Pandya captioned the post, “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 post quickly triggered a wave of reactions, sparking a broader debate on the affordability of private education in India.
(Also Read: Bengaluru: Speeding car mows down 23-year-old woman waiting by roadside in Yelahanka)
How did X users react?
One user remarked that the fees were “unaffordable even for an IT couple earning a combined pretax income of ₹50 lakh per annum with two school-going children,” while another pointed out that “education is a basic human right” and such pricing only widens inequality.
Others, however, defended the high fees, saying education is a “free market” and parents are free to choose according to their capacity. “For a premier institution, ₹60,000 a month seems reasonable,” one user argued, while another countered, “Anyone who considers this a reasonable amount needs to touch grass.”
Some even compared the structure with international schools, noting that tuition at American International School, Chennai stands at ₹27 lakh per year.
Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
(Also Read: Sailing in Bengaluru? Beginner course launched at Yelahanka lake. Details here
