'All of us pay for political corruption in the form of expensive housing, schools': Zoho CEO Vembu

Chennai-based Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu, in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), pointed out that education has become increasingly unaffordable due to the escalating prices of urban real estate. 

"Education has become increasingly unaffordable. A good part of it is due to urban real estate (and even real estate around small towns) becoming extremely expensive; this affects education, healthcare, and, of course, housing and retail as well," he said.

Education has become increasingly unaffordable. A good part of it due to urban real estate (and even real estate around small towns) becoming extremely expensive; that affects education, health care and of course, housing and retail as well.

A lot of corruption money from… https://t.co/UWaCUtjQTo

— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) August 16, 2024

Vembu was responding to venture capitalist Aviral Bhatnagar's post on X, where Bhatnagar highlighted that kindergarten fees in Hyderabad have surged to Rs 3.7 lakh per annum.

"While we focus on house prices, the real inflation has happened in education Inflation adjusted, school fees are up 9x and college fees are up 20x in the last 30 years Education is no more affordable," Bhatnagar remarked.

LKG fees have gone up from 2.3L to 3.7L in Hyderabad, mirroring nationally

While we focus on house prices, the real inflation has happened in education

Inflation adjusted, school fees are up 9x and college fees are up 20x in the last 30 years

Education is no more affordable

— Aviral Bhatnagar (@aviralbhat) August 14, 2024

Adding to his initial comments, Vembu said common citizens are paying for political corruption in the form of expensive housing, schools and healthcare.

"A lot of corruption money from politics is 'parked' in real estate, inflating prices beyond normal market forces. In a sense, all of us pay for political corruption in the form of expensive housing, schools, and healthcare," he elaborated.

Vembu further said that Zoho is investing in school education to make it affordable and that their schools are free. "But we can only do it in deep rural areas where land is affordable," he added.

Netizens reaction

Since being shared, Vembu's post has garnered over 196,000 views and more than 3,600 likes. Many people have taken to the comments section to share their opinions and reactions.

"The second part is supply of quality school teachers sir. Govt teaching job is seen more as an employment guarantee scheme than to continuously learn every few years and teach with earnestness. The quality of school teachers even in many pvt schools is namesake stuff," a user wrote. 

@svembu Ji 🙏, lot of govt infrastructure is there which is not used optimally. Many govt schools and polytechnics with very few students. If govt can involve industries for training and willing people, this can help in providing infra to those who can put it to optimum use

— Devendra Mahra (@devendrasm) August 16, 2024

I couldn’t agree more with @svembu sir. The attached email from a private institution we received highlights this crisis—graduates are now being packaged and sold to the highest bidder with staggering salary expectations, some demanding up to INR 55 LPA right out of school.

This… pic.twitter.com/WrHVWCzCHL

— Pritesh Lakhani (@priteshlakhani) August 16, 2024

"Education has become increasingly unaffordable due to very restrictive regulations. eg. due to RTE, 75% of the students have to subsidize the fees of 25% of the students who just won a lottery in school admission. No, the govt does not compensate the full cost for the school," another highlighted.