By Akangjungla
The recent uproar over steep fee hikes in Delhi’s private schools has reignited debates on affordability, transparency and regulation in education. Parents and student groups have protested against arbitrary increases, arguing that many schools raise fees without proper justification, putting financial strain on families. In response to strong resentment, the Delhi government has issued show-cause notices to 11 private schools after inspection committees, led by Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), flagged major irregularities in their operations. According to national media reports, the Education Minister confirmed that the government will take strict action based on these findings.
One of the critical yet often overlooked issues in Nagaland’s education sector would be also the problem of unregulated and unjustified fee structures, particularly in private schools and colleges. Many institutions charge exorbitant fees, placing a heavy financial burden on parents and limiting access to quality education. A large section of the middle-class families in Naga society, already struggling with inflation, find it difficult to afford steep increases, forcing some students to shift to other schools.
Unlike Delhi or some others states where fee regulations are strictly enforced, Nagaland lacks a robust mechanism to monitor and manage school fees. Private institutions, especially in urban areas like Dimapur and Kohima, often impose high tuition fees, additional charges for extracurricular activities, and hidden costs for books and uniforms. This raises serious questions: Who regulates school fees in Nagaland? Are private institutions justified in charging high fees? How many families are forced into financial stress due to unchecked fee hikes?
The allegation, as unstructured as it sound, the absence of strict fee regulations leads to commercialization of education. While private schools argue that high fees are necessary for better infrastructure and faculty but many fail to give an answer for the stress families have to bear for the cost of their children’s education. Here, the state government can help with its intervention by establishing a fee regulatory authority to regulate charges, ensuring transparency in fee breakdowns to prevent hidden costs and providing affordable alternatives through improved government schools.
Education in Nagaland faces multiple challenges that demand urgent attention. Some major issues are the need for better infrastructure, teacher accountability, relevance of the curriculum, inclusive policy, addressing dropout rates, and expensive fee structures etc. It will not be wrong to state that without urgent reforms, education in Nagaland risks becoming a privilege for the wealthy rather than a right for all. The question remains, will the government take action and become a State of equitable education?
Comments can be sent to akangjungla@gmail.com
