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Low-Fee Private Schools in Telangana: Rethinking Quality, Equity, and Regulation
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Bridging the Learning Gap: The Role of Low-Fee Private Unaided Schools in Tamil Nadu’s Education System

Nissy Solomon and D Dhanuraj at
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Report by Centre for Public Policy Research

Tamil Nadu’s education system has made significant progress toward universal access, driven in large part by the expansion of private schools. Nearly half of the state’s students (48%) now attend private unaided institutions, the majority of which are Low-Fee Private Schools (LFPS) serving lower- and middle-income families. Charging annual tuition fees of ₹5,000–₹20,000, LFPS have emerged as critical providers of education, filling gaps that the public system cannot fully address.

Despite their importance, LFPS operate within a restrictive regulatory ecosystem. High infrastructure standards, frequent renewals, multiple no-objection certificates (NOCs), complex documentation requirements, and rigid fee regulations absorb significant management time and resources, leaving little capacity for pedagogical innovation, teacher development, or improvements in student learning outcomes. Recognising these challenges, this report examines the LFPS landscape in Tamil Nadu and proposes targeted, outcome-oriented policy reforms.

Key recommendations include:

  • Outcome-Based Quality Oversight: Establish a State School Quality Authority to assess both public and private schools on measurable learning outcomes, disclose school performance, and guide remediation strategies.
  • Streamlined Compliance: Simplify NOC requirements, extend recognition validity to 5+ years, and implement a single-window clearance system for all certifications.
  • Flexible Infrastructure and Land Norms: Amend rules to allow multi-building campuses, shared or rented facilities, and recognition based on assured access to essential infrastructure rather than rigid on-site requirements.
  • Support for Unrecognised Schools: Provide a framework for unrecognised schools to access government facilities legally, acknowledging their role in serving low-income populations.
  • Teacher Development and EdTech Integration: Maintain TET standards while introducing state-specific relaxations, support para-teachers under regulated conditions, and institutionalise EdTech tools for teaching, lesson planning, and student assessments.
  • Reform Fee Regulation: Exempt LFPS from cost-based fee fixation, enabling self-declaration and parental oversight while ensuring equitable access for economically weaker sections.

Implementing these reforms will shift the regulatory focus from inputs to outcomes, simplify compliance, and strengthen the capacity of LFPS to deliver quality education. By recognising and enabling LFPS as active partners in the state’s education ecosystem, Tamil Nadu can enhance equity, promote innovation, and ensure that every child, regardless of income, has the opportunity to learn, achieve, and thrive.

Click Here to View the Report

Nissy Solomon is an Hon. Trustee (Research & Projects), Dr D Dhanuraj is the Founder-Chairman  and Afiya Biju is a former Research Assistant, at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, India.

Views expressed by the authors are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.

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Nissy Solomon is Hon. Trustee (Research & Programs) at CPPR. She has a background in Economics with a master’s degree in Public Policy from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. After graduation and prior to her venture into the public policy domain, she worked as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst with Nokia-Heremaps. Her postgraduate research explored the interface of GIS in Indian healthcare planning. She is broadly interested in Public Policy, Economic Development and Spatial Analysis for policymaking.

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Dr Dhanuraj is the Chairman of CPPR. His core areas of expertise are in international relations, urbanisation, urban transport & infrastructure, education, health, livelihood, law, and election analysis. He can be contacted by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @dhanuraj.

Nissy Solomon and D Dhanuraj
Nissy Solomon and D Dhanuraj
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