Are you planning for your child's education? If your 3 year baby is getting into a play school in 2015 (which has become necessary for admission in schools), you will be spending close to Rs. 42 million on education alone. This is when he/she will study in government funded/aided schools and colleges. The fees component alone is Rs. 31 million and another 11 million would be incidental costs (transportation, books etc.) on education alone. To know how, read on.
The ROI for investment in a student in India is abysmal. As a prudent financial practice, it is no longer viable to fund your education with loans. Successful examples are like a lottery with odds of better ROI heavily loaded against you. Costs of education have galloped to catch up with west while the output measured as salaries, employability and knowledge haven't kept pace. Most MBAs are placed at a salary of less than 4 lacs (if at all they are placed). Three quarters of engineers don't get a job after passing out.
So, in pure arithmetic terms, are you better off saving that money and handing over a fixed deposit to your child after 22 years? Imagine a Rs. 42 Million FD to secure your child's future. In the interim, he can study in a good government school (as many of us did), understand real world, devoid of protection and enjoys his childhood and maybe pursue dreams and his passion instead of competing in the rat race.
Does it make sense? No tensions of marks, grades, courses, coaching, tuition, placements, interviews. Live your childhood, get tougher, pursue your dreams and save close to Rs. 42 million. IMAGINE.
The major assumptions are:

Now decide. The financial planner in me has a definite reply, but the parent in me is uncertain. How about you?
| Number | Year | Investment (INR) | Future Value (INR) | Description |
| 1 | 2015 | 140,000 | 1,390,700 | Play School |
| 2 | 2016 | 149,800 | 1,340,585 | Nursery |
| 3 | 2017 | 160,286 | 1,292,276 | Prep |
| 4 | 2018 | 171,506 | 1,245,707 | 1st Class |
| 5 | 2019 | 183,511 | 1,200,817 | 2nd Class |
| 6 | 2020 | 196,357 | 1,157,544 | 3rd Class |
| 7 | 2021 | 210,102 | 1,115,831 | 4th Class |
| 8 | 2022 | 224,809 | 1,075,621 | 5th Class |
| 9 | 2023 | 240,546 | 1,036,860 | 6th Class |
| 10 | 2024 | 257,384 | 999,495 | 7th Class |
| 11 | 2025 | 275,401 | 963,477 | 8th Class |
| 12 | 2026 | 294,679 | 928,758 | 9th Class |
| 13 | 2027 | 565,307 | 1,605,144 | 10th Class + Tuitions |
| 14 | 2028 | 904,878 | 2,314,712 | 11th Class + Tuitions |
| 15 | 2029 | 1,318,220 | 3,037,887 | 12th Class + Tuitions |
| 16 | 2030 | 600,000 | 1,245,696 | Engineering |
| 17 | 2031 | 700,000 | 1,309,290 | Engineering |
| 18 | 2032 | 800,000 | 1,348,047 | Engineering |
| 19 | 2033 | 1,400,000 | 2,125,299 | Engineering + Coaching |
| 20 | 2034 | 1,500,000 | 2,051,447 | MBA |
| 21 | 2035 | 1,500,000 | 1,848,150 | MBA |
| 22 | 2036 | 300,000 | 333,000 | Job Placement |
| Total | 12,092,788 | 30,966,342 |
In the next 22 years, with the interest of 0.11% and with an approximate inflation of 7% the future value of the total investment will be Rs. 41,804,561 (Rs. 42 million). Hence, this is the amount you may have to invest in your child's education.