8 hours ago
Corporate schools turn education into business
Tirupati: Encashingthe aspirations of parents who dream of a bright future for their children, private schools, particularly corporate-run institutions, have turned education into a thriving business. Year after year, these schools are finding new ways to extract money from parents under the pretext of quality education, despite clear regulations in place.
Allegations are mounting against several institutions for conducting arbitrary admissions and charging irregular fees. In Tirupati district, many schools have reportedly completed admissions for the 2025–26 academic year even before it has formally begun, collecting hefty amounts under various pretexts.
Student unions and parent associations have pointed out that schools are offering early admission discounts only to later hike fees post-enrolment. Practices such as seat reservations under the name of 'advance booking' and the use of agents to lure parents have become widespread.
Some institutions are allegedly conducting entrance exams in violation of norms and segregating students based on performance, creating psychological pressure on both students and parents.
Claiming to offer premium coaching for competitive careers in engineering and medicine, schools are using these promises as justification to demand lakhs of rupees in fees. Despite the burden, many parents continue to prefer corporate schools, hoping their children will have better academic and career prospects. In turn, families are taking loans, mortgaging gold and cutting back on essential expenses to meet the rising costs.
The financial strain doesn't stop at tuition fees. Parents are being forced to purchase school uniforms directly from the schools and buy additional textbooks beyond the government-prescribed curriculum – books that managements claim are essential for enhancing students' knowledge. These hidden costs further deepen the burden on families already struggling to keep up.
AISF Tirupati district general secretary C Pravin Kumar accused corporate schools of turning education into a multimillion-rupee business even before the academic year has begun. He alleged that some institutions collected up to Rs 50,000 upfront for hostel accommodation, misleading parents with false assurances. He further claimed that corporate groups are running multiple institutions under a single licence, forming a powerful education mafia.
Saying that despite repeated complaints to education department officials, little action has been taken, student unions and parents are now demanding strict government intervention to curb the unethical practices and stop the unchecked commercialisation of school education in the district.
