Education or Extortion?

Many private schools in Kashmir are hiking fees, withholding grades, and shaming kids to squeeze money from families. Parents are fighting back, but will anyone listen?

- Javid Amin

Imagine scrimping and saving to send your child to school, hoping they'll learn, grow, and chase their dreams.

Now picture that school turning into a money-hungry machine, demanding cash you don't have while punishing your child for your empty wallet. This is the reality for parents across Kashmir, where private schools are squeezing families dry with skyrocketing fees and ruthless tactics.

The problem starts with fee hikes that hit like a punch to the gut. Schools announce hikes without warning, slapping vague labels like “technology fund” or “maintenance charge” on the bills. A father in Srinagar told me his daughter’s school raised fees by 20% last year, citing “infrastructure upgrades.” He’s still waiting to see a single new desk.

When parents can’t keep up, schools turn cruel. They withhold report cards, blocking kids from advancing to the next grade. Teachers refuse to check homework or mark attendance. Some schools even bar students from class activities, leaving them to sit in shame while their peers move on. One mother in Ganderbal described her son coming home in tears after his teacher announced his unpaid fees in front of the class. He’s 10 years old.