Student unions, parents’ associations, educationists and political leaders demanded immediate regulation of school fees in Telangana, alleging that private educational institutions were exploiting parents in the absence of a comprehensive fee control mechanism.

Speaking at a round-table conference on ‘Quality Education – Fee Regulation’ held at the Press Club in Somajiguda, Hyderabad, on Wednesday (May 6, 2026), Hyderabad School Parents Association (HSPA) president Venkat Sai questioned why the State did not have a proper fee regulation framework despite more than a decade since the State’s formation and nearly two years of the Congress government in power. He alleged that many private educational institutions in the State were either run by politicians or individuals with political influence, which he claimed was one of the reasons successive governments had failed to bring in effective regulation.

Describing the current situation as alarming, Mr. Venkat Sai said Telangana’s education system is in an ‘emergency state’, adding that existing data showed a majority of parents in the State were increasingly opting for private schools over government institutions.

Nagaraj from Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU)-Telangana said government education sector continued to remain weak, forcing parents towards private schools. “Fee regulation is the responsibility of the government and administration. Private corporate educational institutions are increasing rapidly and charging huge fees. Parents are choosing private schools because they feel government education is not adequate,” he said

Bhagya, associated with a mothers’ organisation working in slum areas, raised concern over the quality of education in government schools. She said that during visits to low-income communities, many children studying in government schools were unable to write even their own names or their parents’ names.

All India Students' Federation (AISF) State secretary Putta Laxman said governments changed over the years, but the education system in Telangana had not seen meaningful reforms. Varalakshmi from the Telangana Recognised School Management Association (TRSMA) said there were around 1,200 budget private schools in Hyderabad charging between ₹900 and ₹3,000 per month, and alleged that such schools received little support from the government.

Educationist Ram Shepherd said excessive educational expenditure was creating psychological pressure on children and parents alike. “The more money parents spend on education fees, the greater the pressure on children,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, president, Telangana Jagruthi, said education and healthcare were social obligations of the government and should not become areas of exploitation. “Why are 60 to 70% of students going to private schools? Even if parents are choosing private education, corporate schools should not exploit them,” she said. Ms. Kavitha demanded that the State government immediately issue a Government Order on fee regulation, stating that such a measure had already been promised earlier by the Congress government.

“We are not against private schools functioning ethically. We are against institutions exploiting parents through excessive fees,” she said, calling for protests and public mobilisation on the issue across districts.