Students Allegedly Under Pressure Over Fee Dues
Students Reportedly Facing Humiliation; Parents Demand Government Intervention
THE JOURNALIST POST NEWS DESK
HYDERABAD | JULY 27, 2026
Criticism is mounting that educational institutions—which ought to provide quality education—are turning into mere fee-collection centers. The fee-collection practices adopted by corporate educational institutions, in particular, are causing severe anxiety among students and parents. Recently, allegations have surfaced that certain branches of the Sri Chaitanya educational group in Dilsukhnagar are subjecting students with outstanding fee balances to mental pressure, sparking a debate.
According to affected parents, students who have not paid their fees in full are being singled out in the classroom; their names are publicly announced, and they are warned with remarks like, “Tell your parents to pay the fees immediately.” Parents express deep concern that bringing up the issue of fees in front of classmates causes the children to feel humiliated and hurts their sentiments.
However, an even more serious allegation is that some students are being directly warned: “Come to school only if you pay the fees; otherwise, even if you do show up, we will send you back home.” Allegations have been raised that, acting on management’s orders, the principal, dean, and some class teachers are participating in fee collection and increasing pressure on students.
“Children are becoming emotionally distressed, fearing they won’t be allowed into school or will be reprimanded by teachers if fees aren’t paid. Some children are even afraid to go to school,” lamented a parent. Other parents expressed dismay that teachers, who should be focusing on academics, are acting as fee collectors.
Representatives of organizations advocating for the right to education argue that such actions constitute a violation of children’s rights. They maintain that fee-related matters should be resolved solely between the management and parents; involving students as intermediaries or pressuring them is neither legally nor ethically justifiable.
Mental health experts warn that facing humiliating situations at a young age can damage a student’s self-confidence. They caution that discussing fee issues in front of peers can foster a sense of inferiority, potentially having long-term negative effects on the students’ academics, behavior, and mental health.
Many educationists believe that a lack of government oversight is the primary cause of this situation. Criticism is mounting that Education Department officials—who are responsible for supervising private educational institutions—are failing to take adequate action, despite the need for frequent inspections and prompt responses to complaints. There is a growing perception that school managements are acting arbitrarily because the government has not adopted a strict stance regarding fee regulation, the protection of student rights, and school administration.
Meanwhile, parents and student organizations are demanding that senior Education Department officials intervene immediately and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the matter. They are calling for stern action against the concerned managements and responsible individuals if it is proven that students are being subjected to mental harassment over fees. They emphasize that educational institutions should serve as centers that instill confidence in students, rather than becoming places that cause fear and anxiety.
However, the management of the concerned educational institution has yet to respond to these allegations. While the veracity of the complaints remains to be established through an official inquiry, the allegations regarding pressure on students over fees have sparked a heated debate within the education sector.
Chandlapuram Madhu
Vice President, USFI Telangana State
Private corporate educational institutions in the state are acting arbitrarily, and this incident is a prime example of that. Even before three months have passed since the academic year began, managements are subjecting students to severe distress by demanding immediate fee payments. Because the state government has failed to enact comprehensive legislation to regulate them, these managements operate with total impunity, doing exactly as they please; the ruling authorities act merely as their puppets. There is an urgent need to enact a law to strictly regulate these institutions. Furthermore, since parents from poor and middle-class families constitute nearly 95% of the population in this state and country, the government must formulate a class-wise fee structure that takes their interests into account.