This year's great battle for admission to Nursery class has begun in the Indian capital. Chauffeurs have stood in queues hours before the application form sale started. They were there for their masters, waiting along with less opulent parents. Both uber rich and less rich want to secure the future of their kids. It's very critical for the child's future that he/she gets accepted in some renowned school's Nursery class. And, yeah, it's important for parent's status. Parents are anxiously waiting for the final run. But only a handful will make it to the top. The rest will have to face disappointment.

Wish children were born with all knowledge pre-installed in their brains so that there was no need for getting them admitted in Nursery class. Sadly, that's not the case right now.

Here are a few tips for those young people who intend to get married and raise kids (or just raise kids). It's far easier and cheaper to get into the elite IITs or IIMs than getting into the Nursery class of the elite schools of New Delhi. Even if the child gets admission in these elite schools, it's not going to be easy to stay in the race with children of top executives of multinationals and politicians. To save yourself from disappointment and secure your kid's future, you need to begin preparing as early as possible.

1. Academic excellence counts
   If possible, begin preparing while in school. Don't waste your time with friends, sitting in fastfood joints.Try to score maximum marks and go for higher studies. Be careful in choosing your dates. Make sure that he/she also scores high marks and is pursuing or willing to pursue higher studies, preferably abroad. 
   
2. Money (loads of it) matters
   Make sure that you get a highly paying job. For this, you may have to complete management studies from any of the elite institutions and join some multinational firm. Make sure that you don't end up with just an engineering degree. Even if you have studied at an IIT, do join an IIM for a management degree. If you think that an IIT degree would be enough for paying for your child's Nursery fees, think again. 
3. Save money for admission fees
   Education is very expensive. Even if you decide to go for a just-above-average schools, you will be asked to pay nothing less than Rs50,000 as admission fee. Thereafter, you will have to pay a few thousand bucks as monthly tuition fee.
   If you are ambitious enough to dream of educating your kid in one of the elite schools, please be ready with a few lakhs (some of it in cash) of rupees. Monthly expense on tuition fee, bus fee, sports fee, computer fee, library fee, development fee, etc., should be expected to be around Rs10,000, maybe more.
4. Buy child education plans right now
   It doesn't matter when you plan to get married and have kids. Start investing right now so that you have adequate money when the child is born. Invest in some good child future plans as soon as you get your first job.
5. Account for inflation
   Last but not the least, take inflation into account while planning your investment for child's Nursery admission. The cost of educating your child is going to rise faster than food prices. Save as much as possible.
   

My kid's future is ruined, don't let it happen to your child. Take my word, and start early. I had no one to advice me. Though I am not getting married any soon, I know my kid (if there will be any) won't get admission in any of the elite schools. Neither I am highly educated nor I get paid huge amount. And I have realised the importance of saving a bit too late.

I can just cry foul. Despite the fact that the Indian law permits only not-for-profit organizations to set up and manage educations institutes and schools in the country, the fees don't confirm to the "not-for-profit" approach. What if the law allows commercialization of education as demanded by various groups and individuals? You better prepare yourself for this as well. All the best.