‘emis For Nursery’: Coinswitch Co-founder Slams Education Costs As India’s ‘biggest Liability’

Rajat Bhardwaj, Co-founder of CoinSwitch, has called retired skyrocketing schoolhouse fees, saying acquisition has go nan biggest liability for Indian families, pushing immoderate parents to return “EMIs for nursery.” In a candid LinkedIn post, Bhardwaj painted a stark image of middle-class struggles arsenic schoolhouse expenses spiral acold up of incomes.

“30% interest hike. If this isn’t theft, what is? Started having conversations astir schoolhouse for my daughter. Shocked to perceive what’s going on. In Bangalore, parents are now paying ₹2.1 lakh for 3rd standard. That’s not an world school. That’s regular CBSE. One genitor called retired nan ₹2L interest for Class 3, saying moreover an engineering grade costs less,” he wrote.

Bhardwaj added, “And it’s not a one-off. Fee hikes: 10-30% each year. Middle-class net growth: Just 0.4% CAGR complete nan past decade. Education expenses: Now 19% of full family income. Annual schoolhouse costs for Class 4 successful Ahmedabad: ₹1.8L. Forget redeeming for college. Parents are now taking EMIs for nursery.”

“The charismatic information says acquisition ostentation is conscionable 4%. But effort telling that to nan mom comparing 5 schoolhouse brochures aliases nan dada doing intelligence mathematics betwixt rent and autobus fees. This isn’t conscionable inflation. It’s erosion. Of savings, sanity, and moreover family dreams. We utilized to say, ‘education is nan awesome equalizer.’ Now, it’s nan biggest monthly liability,” he pointed out.

“And if you’re a builder, founder, aliases policymaker successful fintech, this is your user. Struggling quietly, cutting corners, still showing up. Find ways to make them win,” Bhardwaj concluded.

The station sparked a activity of responses from netizens sharing akin experiences.

“Parents tin take location schooling. The schools cognize that strategy is not successful abundance and hence are exploiting — Not conscionable kids, but teachers too. It takes a batch of effort but section communities tin beryllium formed. Also why not hole nan guidelines origin of nan problem — Quality of acquisition successful govt schools which has fixed emergence to nan pvt schoolhouse manufacture and coaching centers. Easy to crit than fixing nan system,” wrote a user.

Another commented, “I'm not exaggerating — I tin show you nan existent interest receipts for my girl from 1st, 2nd, and her existent 3rd standard. That’s really precocious nan costs are if you want to springiness your kid a beardown world foundation. Even mean schools complaint astir ₹1 lakh, truthful it’s understandable that reputed institutions would complaint more.”

“Home schooling is simply a solution to this blatant exploitation successful nan sanction of education. The value is not worthy nan ridiculous fees and donations being asked, and connected apical of it, parents person to walk each their clip and power and make nan kids study. Better to homeschool without nan fuss of these exorbitant fees,” said a third.

Published on: Jul 12, 2025 4:54 PM IST