‘Test parent’s silence’:  Noida doctor’s post flags emotional toll of rising school fees

As school fees continue to climb across Indian cities, many parents say the cost of education is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Beyond steep annual fees, additional expenses for books, transport, uniforms and extracurricular activities are quietly reshaping household budgets, forcing families to make personal sacrifices with little public discussion.

Against this backdrop, a social media post by Dr Shraddhey Katiyar, a doctor based in Noida, has struck a chord online, resonating with parents who say they are struggling in silence.

In a post shared on X (formally twitter), Dr Katiyar wrote, “School fees don’t just test a parent’s income. They test their silence.” He noted that annual fee hikes compel families to subtly reorganise their lives. “Fewer vacations. Delayed dreams. Extra shifts. No complaints. Just quiet sacrifice,” he wrote.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questioning the promise of “quality education”, Dr Katiyar pointed out that despite rising costs, “classrooms stay crowded” and “teachers stay underpaid”, while parental anxiety continues to grow. “A child’s future should not feel like a monthly threat,” he added.

He argued that education was meant to uplift families and nurture independent thinking, not turn parents into “debt managers”. Highlighting the lack of real choice, he wrote, “Parents don’t hesitate to spend on their children. They hesitate because they have no choice.”

Warning of the broader social consequences, Dr Katiyar said when schooling becomes a luxury, it does not lead to a smarter society but ends up “pricing out potential”.

The post ended on a deeply emotional note: “And the heaviest lesson children learn is this: Their parents paid the price, silently.”

The post quickly went viral, with many users echoing similar concerns in the comments.

“Too much unnecessary expenses. Quality of teaching is low and lavish schools is priority it seems,” one user wrote.

Another commented, “Our school system is mostly a waste. Not sure about the IBs of the world, but most of the others are just running, making money, without putting any substantial effort towards the kids. They feel like a factory delivering low quality output.”

Some users spoke about the pressure parents feel to stay quiet. “Nowadays parents choose to remain silent bcoz if they speak against it their reputation will be damaged that they are not able to pay fees,” one user said.

Others linked rising education costs to changing family choices. “This is the reason most city couples are opting for only one child. Government is using inflation as a population control measure,” another user wrote.