Telangana AAP Leader Criticizes 30% Fee Hike in Private Schools

Hyderabad, June 2025 – In a fiery address, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Telangana leader and former sportsperson Afsha Salam slammed the state government and private school managements for a sudden 30% increase in tuition fees, just weeks after coming to power. She argued the move places severe financial strain on families already struggling amid stagnating incomes and rising costs.

By Naveed Uddin Khan Uzair

📈 Fee Hike Amid Economic Strain

30% Fee Increase: Salam highlighted that private schools, often operating under non-profit trusts or NGOs, have arbitrarily raised their fees by 30%, citing infrastructure improvements as justification.
Burden on All Classes: The hike affects not only middle-income families but also those below the poverty line (BPL), leaving many unable to afford quality education.
Salary Stagnation: She questioned whether the economic condition of Telangana supports such increases, noting that household incomes and government salaries have not kept pace.

🤝 Lack of Regulation in Fee Increase

Salam emphasized that private schools operate under charitable statuses. She questioned how institutions mandated to serve the public can justify excessive fee hikes:

“How can a charitable project turn into a mafia? Society‑run schools are being turned into profit-havens.”

🏫 Urging Investment in Government Schools

Improve Gov‑School Infrastructure: Salam urged the government to replicate Delhi’s model—schools with well-maintained classrooms, digital tools, clean washrooms, play areas, and even swimming pools.
Right to Education: She reminded the government that free education is a constitutional right, and pointed to the anomaly where well‑off politicians send their children abroad while local children endure underfunded schools.

🚌 Other Public Service Concerns

She also criticized recent public transport fare increases—buses are now 20% more expensive. Students, she said, are worried about their daily commute. A petition submitted to the RTC Director appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

🔍 Political Accountability

Salam directly addressed the ruling Congress government:

“Eighteen months into power—what have you done for the common man? Your actions are worse than the previous government.”

She accused the ruling party of pursuing cosmetic projects while ignoring basic needs like education and transport:

Questioning Revant Reddy: She even cast doubt on former MLA Revanth Reddy’s political alignment, asking whether he is covertly acting to strengthen RSS/BJP influence in Telangana.

✅ AAP Demands

Rollback or Cap on Fee Hikes: Fees in private schools—especially those operating as NGOs—should not exceed ₹25 – ₹3000 per year per student.
Expansion of Free Education: Strengthen government schools to ensure all children have access to affordable, high-quality education.
Transparent Regulation: Fee increases must be regulated and justified, especially in schools run under charitable mandates.

🔮 Looking Forward

Afsha Salam’s statement strikes at the heart of Telangana’s socio-economic tensions: rising living costs, underperforming public services, and growing mistrust in political intentions. With state elections on the horizon, her message could resonate strongly with voters feeling squeezed by inflation and policy neglect.

Opinion and Conclusion by Crime Today News

As a responsible citizen and a member of the media fraternity, I strongly believe that the recent 30% hike in private school fees in Telangana is not only unacceptable but deeply unjust. Education is a constitutional right—not a luxury—and such sudden increases strike directly at the heart of families struggling with stagnant incomes and rising costs of living. This issue goes far beyond mere economics—it reflects a larger failure of governance and misplaced priorities.

The government must be held accountable. It came to power promising transformation through six “guarantees” which, as of now, remain largely unfulfilled. What we see instead is an alarming neglect of public education, allowing private institutions—many of which are legally required to function as non-profits—to operate unchecked as commercial ventures. The fee hike is a symptom of a system that has prioritized optics over essentials and privatization over equity.

We must ask—if Delhi can build world-class government schools, why can’t Telangana? Why must poor and middle-class families be pushed to the brink for their children’s future? The demand is not unreasonable: strengthen public education, cap arbitrary fee hikes in private institutions, and stop burdening the very people who voted you into power.

This is a wake-up call. The people of Telangana deserve better—real change, not performative governance.