New Delhi: Actor and film commentator Kamaal Rashid Khan, widely known as KRK, has been taken into custody by the Mumbai Police following a firing incident at a residential complex in the city. According to police sources, KRK allegedly discharged four bullets inside a housing building
Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam winner and two-time Australian Open champion, has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open. She decided to pull out due to a nagging left abdominal injury. Tennis Australia confirmed the news, and the withdrawal gave Australian qualifier Madison Inglis a
Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has reacted strongly to the trailer of Rani Mukerji's Mardaani 3, calling it “insane" and urging the need for “swift and example-setting punishment" for crimes against women. The trailer, which dropped recently
For Samantha Ruth Prabhu, fitness has never been about fleeting goals or aesthetic milestones. Instead, it has evolved into a daily practice that prioritises resilience, mental clarity, and long-term strength. Over the years, her wellness journey has unfolded across yoga mats, gym floors
Karnataka Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rajshekhar Hitnal has sparked a controversy after terming the rape and murder of a woman of foreign origin near Sanapur in Gangavathi taluk in Koppal last year as a “small incident." Hitnal made the remarks while speaking at a tourism exploration
The 77th Republic Day Parade on January 26 will witness several firsts, including therocket launcher system 'Suryastra' with deep-strike capabilities, the newly raised Bhairav light commando battalion, and Zanskar ponies and Bactrian camels. India will showcase its military might and cultural
Ukraine has condemned a fresh wave of Russian strikes overnight which killed one person and injured 23 others, as talks with the US aimed at ending the war are set to resume. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the "brutal" attack - "cynically" ordered by Russian leader Vladimir Putin -
New Delhi: Hours after actor Kamaal Rashid Khan, popularly known as KRK, was arrested by the Mumbai Police in connection with a two-round firing incident reported from the Oshiwara area of the city, the cops on Saturday revealed that the actor fired two rounds while cleaning his gun at home to
How early education became the ‘assured returns’ business
How early education became the ‘assured returns’ business Premium
Across Indian cities, the small neighbourhood playgroups have evolved into one of the most lucrative early-education networks. The preschool industry is aggressively marketed as low-investment with high-returns, often promising ₹30–40 lakh annual income on a setup cost of ₹8–10 lakh.
Preschools do not fall under the Right to Education Act and therefore are not required to be not-for-profit like K–12 schools. Many preschool chains operate under charitable trusts or societies, entities that are expected to run for the public good, not private profit.
According to Advocate Abhisek Chowdhury, a trust cannot declare profits, but it can generate surplus and route it towards costs such as branding, consultancy, training, or outsourced services provided by sister companies often owned by the same promoters. Rent, management fees, curriculum development charges and franchise royalties all become legitimate pathways for money to move from a trust into private hands. “It's not technically illegal,” he says, “but when a trust functions like a corporate chain, the spirit of the law is clearly being defeated.”
Franchise owners often discover the hidden costs after joining the system. A former Noida franchisee said she invested because advertisements promised a quick return but realised later that her revenues were offset by constant demands for upgrades and marketing contributions.
Many franchisees say they were drawn by attractive ads promising ROI, not by a passion for education. A preschool franchise owner on the condition of anonymity said, “The ad read: Invest ₹10 lakh and earn ₹40 lakh every year. But the royalty and mandatory purchases eat into everything. The chain makes more than the franchise.”
The Franchise investors are describing it as a model where the curriculum is just one small part of what they pay for. The real cost lies in franchise fees, royalties, branding, curriculum kits, annual training upgrades and mandatory purchases of uniforms and learning materials.
Preeti Jain in Kolkata said the business works only in high-income neighbourhoods, “If I had opened this in a middle-class area, I would have shut down. Preschool is now a luxury product.”
Parents, meanwhile, feel education is being packaged as a consumer product. Many complain that preschool fees now rival those of primary schools, with glossy marketing promising “global pedagogy” and “future-ready curriculum” for children barely three years old. A Bengaluru parent described the experience bluntly — “The school is run by a trust, but the fees feel like corporate pricing. It starts to look like we're shopping, not choosing an educational environment.”
Experts warn that this unchecked commercialisation risks deepening inequality. A Delhi-based NEP researcher argues that quality pre-schooling is foundational to cognitive and social development, yet when it becomes a luxury product, access becomes tied to income.
The researcher highlights that there are no national standards for preschool curriculum, no cap on fees, and little oversight on teacher qualifications, even though teachers are often paid shockingly low salaries. With no regulatory framework and little transparency on how trust-generated revenue is used, India's early education landscape is drifting further into a business-driven model, leaving children, its most vulnerable beneficiaries at the margins of a profit-first system.
(Nibedita Sen is an independent journalist specialising in defence, with over 15 years of experience covering diverse topics like rural India, healthcare, education, and women's issues.)
(Sign up for THEdge, The Hindu's weekly education newsletter.)
Published - November 27, 2025 06:06 pm IST
education / children / parent and child
Source: The Hindu
Related Posts: Indian woman arrested after suicide of man she accused of sexual misconduct Indian IT Adapting Well to AI Shift Singapore Woman’s Video Exposes Alarming Reality Of Indian Railway Coaches Indian Entrepreneur Goes Blinkit-Free For 5 Months A story from an Indian entrepreneur who made a switch to no quick commerce Indian state investigates killings of hundreds of stray dogs Indian Woman, 3 Relatives Shot Dead By Husband In US, Children Hid In Closet Indian racing sensation Atiqa Mir secures drive with world karting champions Modena for WSK 2026 Wondering What Foods Pair Well With Indian Single Malt Whisky Indian national among 4 killed in Atlanta domestic shooting
"Maatrubhumi" is the first song released from the upcoming 2026 film Battle of Galwan, starring Salman Khan. The makers of Salman Khan's upcoming film Battle of Galwan have released the first song from the movie, titled ‘Maatrubhumi', giving audiences an emotional and patriotic preview of the
55 minutes ago
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen expressed deep concern over West Bengal's electoral roll revision process, citing "undue haste" and inadequate time for voters. He warned this could jeopardize democratic participation, particularly with upcoming assembly elections
55 minutes ago
Delhi's Patiala House Court on Saturday allowed Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid to attend the upcoming parliament budget session in custody. Baramulla MP sought an interim bail or custody parole to attend the Parliament Session scheduled to commence from January 28 till April
55 minutes ago
BSNL Prepaid Recharge Plans: When it comes to the cheapest 4G data, no one can beat what BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) has to offer. BSL plans usually cost less and have at least a 20%-30% difference from other plans by private internet service providers out there
55 minutes ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed more than 61,000 job appointment letters on Saturday to mark a Rozgar Mela programme. He attended the event via video conferencing and also delivered an address to the appointees. As per the official statement
55 minutes ago
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has called an all-party meeting on January 27, at 11 am to discuss important national issues and legislative business before the Budget Session, according to sources. The meeting is scheduled in the Parliament's main Committee Room and will outline the
54 minutes ago
Work often demands discipline, but sometimes it also demands adaptability. This week, a moment from the higher reaches of the Himalayas caught widespread attention not for the location alone but for how professional commitment travelled far beyond a traditional courtroom setting
55 minutes ago
Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open due to an unspecified injury, cutting short a tournament that saw her make a memorable fashion statement and engage in a tense second-round match. The two-time champion announced her withdrawal on social media
55 minutes ago
According to the police, the accused allegedly assaulted the child in a fit of rage simply because she failed to write numbers up to 50. In a shocking incident from Haryana's Faridabad, a man has been arrested on charges of murdering his 4.5-year-old daughter after she was unable to write numbers
54 minutes ago
18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova has said that Jannik Sinner got a lucky break due to the Australian Open's heat policy, which gave him a massive chance to come back into the match and pull off a four-set win against the United States' Eliot Spizziri
55 minutes ago
President of the European Council, António Luís Santos da Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen will be chief guests during the official Republic Day 2026 parade at Kartavya Path on Monday. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that the
55 minutes ago
Music composer Anirudh Ravichander of Rajinikanth's Jailer fame is collaborating with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the official song of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Sharing an update on Anirudh's collaboration, the ICC said, “Before the roar of the crowds..
55 minutes ago
A USD/INR buy/sell swap auction of USD 10 billion for a tenor of 3 years is to be held on February 04, 2026. Besides, open market operation (OMO) purchase auctions of Government of India securities for an aggregate amount of Rs 1,00,000 crore in two tranches of Rs 50
55 minutes ago
A speeding luxury car rammed into a guardrail in Kolkata's Red Road area on Saturday (January 24, 2026) morning, when rehearsals for the Republic Day parade were underway, triggering security concerns, police said. The car was approaching the Red Road at a high speed
54 minutes ago
Business leaders at the World Economic Forum are sounding an alarm for Europe. They warn that excessive rules and slow processes are hindering growth. Competition from the US and China is intensifying. Europe risks falling behind in key future industries
55 minutes ago
National Tourism Day 2026: India is a land of diversity, where language, culture, cuisine, and even clothing change every few kilometers. Comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, India is a complete tourism package in itself. This is why National Tourism Day is celebrated every year on January
54 minutes ago
United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has hinted that the government may remove the additional 25% tariff imposed on India over its purchase of Russian oil, which remains in place for now. While speaking to Politico on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Bessent said
55 minutes ago
The US will offer "more limited" support to allies, according to the Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy. In a significant shift to its security priorities, the US Department of Defense now considers security of the US homeland and Western Hemisphere - not China - as its primary concern
55 minutes ago
Union Budget 2026: Parliament's Budget Session commences January 28 with President Draupadi Murmu's address. A crucial all-party meeting is scheduled for January 27. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on February 1, a Sunday. The session will run until April 2
55 minutes ago
Sugar mill waste caused panic in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district earlier this week. What looked like a normal route suddenly turned dangerous, leading to a series of accidents. At least 12 bike riders reportedly slipped and fell after losing control of their vehicles, due to which
54 minutes ago
Gold prices in India traded with a mild positive bias on Saturday, January 24, as bullion markets remained steady near record levels amid a cautious global environment. According to the latest retail rates, 24-karat gold is priced at Rs 1,57,160 per 10 grams
54 minutes ago
Bodoland Lottery Results Today 24 January 2026 Live: The Assam Bodoland Lottery Department will declare its results today at 3 PM. Participants can view their results at bodollotteries.com, the official website, scroll down for more details.Bodoland Lottery Results Today 24 January 2026 Live: The
55 minutes ago
Suryakumar Yadav found his rhythm again with a powerful 82 not out against New Zealand. He shared that extensive net sessions, stepping away from social media, and his wife's guidance helped him regain his confidence. This performance ended a frustrating run drought for the T20I star
55 minutes ago
Who is the Living Nostradamus? Athos Salome's 2026 prophecies include a massive solar storm in March, a senior royal health event, and an Arctic conflict. Know why his warnings are going viral. With the world moving into a new year, namely 2026
55 minutes ago
Iran issued a stark warning to the United States, saying it would treat any attack with an “all-out war," a day after US President Donald Trump claimed a large American naval force was being deployed to the Middle East. A senior Iranian official said Tehran views the US military buildup as a
54 minutes ago
Nowadays, smartphones are replacing our wallets, cameras, and even laptops. Taking this technology a step further, a company called Nex Computer is developing a new device called the Nexphone. It's designed to function not only as an Android phone but also as a computer when connected to a screen
54 minutes ago
Famous producer and director Vikram Bhatt has found himself in the midst of controversies yet again, as a case has been filed against him and his daughter, Krishna Bhatt, at the Versova Police Station. A businessman has allegedly filed a police complaint against Vikram and his daughter for
55 minutes ago
