Chartered Accountant Meenal Goel highlights how spiraling private school fees and systemic flaws in India’s education model are financially suffocating middle-income families. Her viral post ignites debate on affordability, fairness, and education reform.
July-15, 2025: Private education in India is no longer a mark of privilege — it’s becoming a financial burden that’s silently crushing the middle class, according to educator and chartered accountant Meenal Goel. In a now-viral LinkedIn post and video, Goel deconstructs the exorbitant cost of private schooling that, she says, is bankrupting Indian households.
India’s average annual income is ₹4.4 lakh, yet the cost of sending one child to a mid-tier private school can exceed ₹3.5 lakh annually. Goel highlights this with a breakdown:
- ₹35,000 in admission charges
- ₹1.4 lakh in tuition fees
- ₹38,000 in annual charges
- ₹44,000–₹73,000 for transport
- ₹20,000–₹30,000 on books and uniforms
“Mid-tier schools start at ₹1 lakh. Elite schools easily top ₹4 lakh,” Goel warns, pointing to a parent in Hyderabad who paid ₹6,903 just for Grade 5 textbooks — from a school-mandated vendor offering no discounts.
“We often talk about healthcare inflation, but education inflation is the silent killer of India’s middle class,” she wrote.
EMIs for Education, but No Real Alternatives
Goel also notes that fintech firms now offer EMIs for school fees, placing education next to home loans in financial planning. But public schools offer little reprieve, with grim statistics:
- 8 lakh vacant teaching positions nationwide
- 5,000 UP schools operate with just one teacher
- A Delhi survey found 70% of 6th graders in government schools can’t read a paragraph
- 1 lakh schools without electricity, 46,000 without toilets, 39,000 without drinking water
India spends just 4.6% of its GDP on education — far below the 6% benchmark recommended by experts.
Legal Loopholes, Poor Pay & Parental Pressure
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Though legally bound to operate as non-profit entities, many private school owners exploit loopholes, leasing land to their own institutions via shell companies, inflating rent, and passing costs to parents.
Goel points out the underpayment of teachers, saying that private school educators earn 40–50% less than government school teachers. Yet schools charge extra for “premium” amenities like:
- Swimming pool usage
- Annual day events
- AC maintenance fees
Adding emotional toll to financial stress, Goel recounts instances of students being humiliated over unpaid dues — denied meals, separated from peers, or even watched by bouncers.
“This is not just about money,” she wrote. “It’s about the middle class being forced to choose debt over dignity — all for an education system that’s becoming a commercial racket.”
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education inflation, private school fees India, Meenal Goel CA, middle class financial burden, India education crisis, public vs private schooling, EMI for education, teacher salaries, Indian education GDP, school fees breakup, school affordability India
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