Mumbai Man's 'Maths' On ₹13 Lakh School Fees Sparks Heated Debate Online On 'Middle-Class Struggle'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A LinkedIn post by Akur Jhaveri, who identifies himself as an Associate Vice President at IDfy – an integrated identity platform – has revived debate around the soaring cost of private school education in India. Drawing from a recent conversation with his cousin, a teacher at an international school, Jhaveri broke down the staggering "math" behind raising a child in urban India – and his post has captured the attention of many online.

“I never realised the real cost of raising kids in India until I met my cousin last week,” Jhaveri wrote.

According to his back-of-the-envelope calculation, the tuition fees at an international school alone range from ₹7 to ₹9 lakh per year. This, he pointed out, doesn't include essentials such as uniforms, books, private tuition, and other academic costs, which add another ₹2–4 lakh annually.

When you factor in extracurriculars, coaching, clothes, leisure activities, and birthday parties – estimated at around ₹1 lakh per year – the total annual expense per child balloons to ₹13 lakh.

But it doesn't end there.

Assuming a parent devotes around 30% of their income towards their child's education and well-being, one would need a net income of around ₹43–44 lakh per year to afford this lifestyle.

Factor in income tax, and Jhaveri concludes that a gross salary of ₹55–60 lakh per annum is required to raise just one child comfortably in India's metros.

“And this is if you have ONE kid. Have another one, and these numbers increase substantially,” he added.

His post has gone viral on LinkedIn, drawing both agreement and counterpoints.

In a postscript, Jhaveri acknowledged that ICSE schools may charge less. However, he argued that most urban parents, especially those on platforms like LinkedIn, aim to provide their children with“the best education”, often driven by social pressure and fear of missing out (FOMO).

“The best ICSE schools – the legacy ones – are extremely tough to get into. I say that having an ICSE education myself. Getting admitted to them is not a walk in the park,” he wrote.

The viral post has prompted widespread reflection, with many parents chiming in with their own experiences. While some suggested cost-effective schooling alternatives, others echoed Jhaveri's concerns, lamenting the rising financial burden of parenting in India's cities.

A user wrote:“Good CBSE schools in Delhi only charge a tuition fee of 10K a month. Their academic standards are one of the best in India”.
Another said: "I guess the real problem that needs to be solved first is not the high cost of Education..... It's FOMO

If one has to send their child to a school with 7-9 lakhs a year tuition fee and overall cost of 12-13 lakh a year, and the child still need to be sent to the tution right from the start, even before the child is preparing for competitive exams from around class 10th or 11th, then I guess the school is not worth the effort and the child is also being unnecessarily pressurized into following an educational career beyond his academic capabilities.

Both ways, its the FOMO which is screwing up not just the parents but also the kid."
A third user said:“The fees in that snap you're quoting belong to celebrity kids' elite schools and even that includes everything, just so you know. You and your cousin are nowhere near that league so stop pretending you're living the same life. This entire post reeks of desperation for attention, not facts. Next time, do some actual research before spewing lies just to sound relevant”.
A fourth user wrote:“Good education is a luxury”

MENAFN08062025007365015876ID1109648722