Hyderabad: Telangana Jagruti president Kalvakuntla Kavitha demanded a fee regulation law to control private school charges and urged the government to convene a special Assembly session.
She alleged that private schools increased fees by 30 to 40 per cent, placing a heavy burden on parents. Therefore, she said the government must cap annual hikes at 8 per cent.
Speaking at the Jagruti office in Banjara Hills, she noted that schools raised fees even before the academic year began. For instance, a ₹1 lakh fee has increased by nearly ₹30,000 in some cases.
Meanwhile, parents staged protests across Hyderabad against steep hikes. In addition, some institutions demanded up to 60 per cent of fees in advance instead of monthly payments.
She criticised the government for failing to act despite earlier promises. At the same time, she said no regulation was introduced over the past three years.
Fee regulation law in Telangana gains urgency amid rising school costs
Further, Kalvakuntla Kavitha said rising fees did not improve teachers’ salaries. Instead, she alleged that corporate schools failed to provide basic benefits like PF.
She also raised concerns over food quality in private schools. According to her, centralised kitchens could pose risks if contamination occurs.
In addition, she demanded regular inspection of food samples. She said a food safety task force was formed only after repeated demands.
Kavitha also criticised the Chief Minister for encouraging private institutions without proper regulation. She alleged that pending fee reimbursements forced colleges to withhold student certificates.
She urged institutions to release certificates immediately and assured support in securing pending dues. At the same time, she said students should not suffer due to financial disputes.
She further alleged that institutions from northern states were entering Telangana without offering jobs to locals. Therefore, she demanded stricter permission norms.
Moreover, she said some schools treated parents poorly and denied access. Consequently, she called for strict action against such institutions.
Finally, Kalvakuntla Kavitha warned that continued inaction would trigger protests. She said Jagruti would organise demonstrations if the government fails to act on the fee regulation law demand.
