HPS parents allege mismanagement, protest arbitrary fee hike and demand govt intervention

Parents of students at Hyderabad Public School (HPS) on Tuesday met Minister for IT and Industries and Chairman of Fee Regulation Committee Duddilla Sridhar Babu seeking intervention over what they termed an ‘arbitrary and unjustified’ fee hike.

The parents informed that the school fees have increased by 141% over the last four years, rising from ₹83,630 in the 2021–22 academic year to ₹2,01,628 for 2025–26. They alleged that the hikes were implemented without transparency, claiming the school failed to provide audited financial statements or detailed explanations of expenditure.

The delegation also questioned whether the steep rise was justified, stating that educational standards and facilities had not improved commensurately. Further, parents alleged mismanagement within the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), accusing the school of misleading the government and CBSE by including individuals with no direct connection to the institution as PTA members.

The parents demanded a comprehensive inquiry into HPS management practices and called for the formation of a State-wide Fee Regulation Board. They suggested that fee increases be capped at 8–10% once every three years, in line with the Consumer Price Index.

Responding to the concerns, Mr. Sridhar Babu assured the parents that the Fee Regulation Committee and the Education department were reviewing the matter. He instructed Director, School Education, E. Naveen Nicholas to conduct an immediate inquiry and stated that the government would ensure a fair and balanced resolution after consultations with school managements and officials.