School expenses & family planning in India

A survey conducted in India reveals that even well to do young parents have decided not to have more than one child as they think that they are better positioned to afford education expenses of only a single child in school, as these expenses have grown disproportionately as against their annual income in the last 7-8 years.

These findings are arrived at a random survey done under aegis of the Social Development Foundation of ASSOCHAM titled, “Rising School Expenses vis-a –vis Dilemma Of Young Parents”. The report also highlights that school expenses excluding tuition fees have risen from Rs. 25,000 in 2000 to Rs.65,000 per annum in 2008 and that too on a single child. While the annual income on an average of well off parents have risen not by more than 28% to 30% during the period. Nearly one in ten respondents indicated that the cost associated with schooling has actually affected even their choice of school. 65% of parents spend more than half their take-home pay on their children's education, placing significant burden on their family budget. More than half of metropolitan parents, who send their children to private schools say the cost of education is a strain on families.