IITian’s post on daughter’s Rs 4 lakh school fee for Class 1 sparks debate

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, raised concerns about the soaring cost of education in the country, which sparked a debate online.
In a post on X, Rishabh Jian, also a Jaipur-based entrepreneur, shared a detailed fee structure of a reputed school in the city and claimed that it would cost him about Rs 4.27 lakh per year for a first-standard student to be enroled there — an amount he described as unaffordable even for families earning Rs 20 lakh per annum.
Jain’s viral post, viewed over 1.5 million times, highlighted the growing financial burden on middle-class families seeking quality education.
“Good education is a luxury which the middle class can not afford,” he said in his post, adding that other top schools in the city had similar fee structures.
“My daughter will start Grade 1 next year, and this is the fee structure of one of the schools we are considering in our city. Note that other good schools also have similar fees,” he said.
Breaking down the numbers, Jain argued that high taxes and essential living costs left little room for exorbitant school fees.
“At 20L income, you fall in the highest 30% + CESS tax bracket, do not qualify for government schemes, and do not receive any freebies or loan waivers like the rich,” he said.
He further mentioned that what’s left barely covers food, clothing, EMIs, and savings. How can families afford Rs 4 lakh per child for school, he questioned.
“In the remaining ₹10L, either you can have food, clothes, pay rent or EMIs, and save something, or you can pay school fees for your two kids. Decide! Which one would you choose,” he said, adding, “Which one would you choose?’
Take a look at his post here:
The post struck a chord with several parents, who shared similar frustrations about the skyrocketing cost of education.
“Education has turned into a commercial enterprise, with private schools profiting while government schools struggle to provide quality education,” a user said.
Another user added, “Absolutely correct. I’m living in Noida and trust me, education is no more education but a business.”
However, not everyone agreed. A user argued that Jain exaggerated the situation, suggesting he had deliberately chosen the “most expensive school”.
“It feels like you are exaggerating the numbers! And also, purposefully, you have picked the costliest school in your city to make this tweet! Not trying to disregard the fact that yes in our country, quality education is a joke and the cess that govt collects for the edu goes to politicians,” the user said.
Jain rebutted, saying, “It may feel like I’m exaggerating, but get married and live in a big city, then you’ll understand.”
Others pointed out systematic issues, comparing India’s private education system to public-funded education abroad.
See the comments here:
The discussion brought attention to a pressing issue faced by several Indian families, the struggle to balance aspiration for quality education with financial realities.