Is the rising cost of education affecting YOU?

With IITs and IIMs hiking their annual fees for the upcoming academic session, we'd like to know from you, dear readers, your views on the rising cost of education in India and how it affects your aspirations to study in these prestigious institutes and aspire for a better life.

Barely two days after the IITs announced an 80 per cent annual fee hike for undergratuates, India's leading management school, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad has announced a fee hike for the 2013-15 academic batch by 7 per cent.

This means that students who score well in the Common Admission Test 2012 will now how have to shell Rs 16.6 lakh for a two-year MBA programme at the institute.

While IIMs from Bangalore, Kozhikode and Calcutta are yet to announce their decision, IIM-Raipur has also increased its fees from Rs 9 lakh to 9.6 lakh for the incoming batch.

Educational institutions justify the increase in fee hikes to pay faculty salaries and in turn provide better infrastructure and career development activities for its students.

Dear Readers, do you think the fee hike in education institutions is justified? How does it affect your education, dreams, aspirations? Share your views and experience on the messageboard below. Tell us!