₹1 crore for school? College costs are the real middle class threat, says advisor
Treat school fees as annual cash-flow, not something to eat into long-term savings. Keep total school expenses below 10% of household income to avoid stress on other financial goals like retirement or emergency funds.
- Sep 17, 2025,
- Updated Sep 17, 2025 8:20 AM IST
As viral posts about ₹1 crore school fees sparks alarm among Indian parents, wealth advisor Chakravarthy V brings the conversation back to reality—and to planning. In a LinkedIn post, he argues that while elite schools may charge eye-popping sums, the true financial challenge lies not in primary education—but in what comes after.
Referring to the post about an IB school in Bangalore allegedly charging ₹1 crore for Grades 1–12, Chakravarthy notes: “That’s a massive number. But also a bit misleading. That’s the extreme.”
Citing National Sample Survey (NSS) data and adjusted costs from private schools in tier-1 cities, he paints a more grounded picture:
In Bangalore, schooling (including fees, transport, extras, and inflation) comes to around ₹24 lakh per child.
In Chandigarh, among the costlier metros, the estimate is closer to ₹40 lakh over the K–12 period.
These figures align with government data: urban private school fees, even in pre-primary, start around ₹50,000 per year in high-cost cities like Chandigarh and Karnataka. By higher secondary, annual fees in these regions cross ₹1 lakh.
But according to Chakravarthy, the real financial mountain is higher education. With inflation and rising global education standards, a 5–6 year undergraduate plus postgraduate program could cost ₹1.5 crore or more by the time today’s primary school kids graduate.
To reach that, he suggests parents need to: Start a SIP of ₹30,000/month early if they want to build a corpus for future college fees.
Treat school fees as annual cash-flow, not something to eat into long-term savings. Keep total school expenses below 10% of household income to avoid stress on other financial goals like retirement or emergency funds.
“A lot of parents I know say, ‘I’ll spend whatever it takes for my child’s education.’ That instinct is natural. But numbers like these remind us—it’s not about how much you spend. It’s about how well you plan,” he writes.
Raising a child may be priceless, but educating one comes with a price tag that compounds fast. With primary schooling alone costing ₹20–40 lakh in urban India and higher education on track to exceed ₹1.5 crore, early planning is no longer optional—it’s essential.
As viral posts about ₹1 crore school fees sparks alarm among Indian parents, wealth advisor Chakravarthy V brings the conversation back to reality—and to planning. In a LinkedIn post, he argues that while elite schools may charge eye-popping sums, the true financial challenge lies not in primary education—but in what comes after.
Referring to the post about an IB school in Bangalore allegedly charging ₹1 crore for Grades 1–12, Chakravarthy notes: “That’s a massive number. But also a bit misleading. That’s the extreme.”
Citing National Sample Survey (NSS) data and adjusted costs from private schools in tier-1 cities, he paints a more grounded picture:
In Bangalore, schooling (including fees, transport, extras, and inflation) comes to around ₹24 lakh per child.
In Chandigarh, among the costlier metros, the estimate is closer to ₹40 lakh over the K–12 period.
These figures align with government data: urban private school fees, even in pre-primary, start around ₹50,000 per year in high-cost cities like Chandigarh and Karnataka. By higher secondary, annual fees in these regions cross ₹1 lakh.
But according to Chakravarthy, the real financial mountain is higher education. With inflation and rising global education standards, a 5–6 year undergraduate plus postgraduate program could cost ₹1.5 crore or more by the time today’s primary school kids graduate.
To reach that, he suggests parents need to: Start a SIP of ₹30,000/month early if they want to build a corpus for future college fees.
Treat school fees as annual cash-flow, not something to eat into long-term savings. Keep total school expenses below 10% of household income to avoid stress on other financial goals like retirement or emergency funds.
“A lot of parents I know say, ‘I’ll spend whatever it takes for my child’s education.’ That instinct is natural. But numbers like these remind us—it’s not about how much you spend. It’s about how well you plan,” he writes.
Raising a child may be priceless, but educating one comes with a price tag that compounds fast. With primary schooling alone costing ₹20–40 lakh in urban India and higher education on track to exceed ₹1.5 crore, early planning is no longer optional—it’s essential.