Why this petition matters

Healthcare and education are two of the biggest expenses for every Indian family. Unlike many countries, in India:

🏥 Healthcare is not free – Families pay anywhere from ₹30,000 to ₹2 lakh every year for hospital bills, medicines, and treatments. Even with insurance, nearly 48% of medical costs are out-of-pocket.

🎒 Education is not free – Parents are forced to rely on private schools due to quality and infrastructure gaps in government schools. In Tier-1 cities, primary school fees can cross ₹1.5 lakh per child annually; in Tier-2 cities, ₹40k–₹1 lakh is common. Add books, uniforms, transport, and the burden multiplies.

👉 Yet, the Income Tax Act provides very limited relief:

• Section 80D only covers insurance premiums.
• Section 80C allows tuition fees for 2 children but within the ₹1.5 lakh cap (already shared with PF, ELSS, etc.), and only covers tuition — not admission fees, books, uniforms, or transport.

⚖️ The most unfair part:

Donations to political parties get 100% tax exemption (Section 80GGC), with no cap. Every year, political parties receive thousands of crores through this route.

If political donations can enjoy full tax benefits, why not healthcare and children’s education — the real needs of citizens?

✊ We demand the Government of India to:

1️⃣ Introduce two new income tax deductions

• Healthcare Deduction (Section 80HC): Allow deduction of out-of-pocket medical expenses (net of insurance claims), capped at ₹2–3 lakh per family per year.
• Education Deduction (Section 80ED): Allow deduction of actual primary school education expenses (up to Class 7) including tuition, admission fees, books, uniforms, and transport, capped at ₹1.5 lakh per child (up to 2 children).

2️⃣ Regulate and cap arbitrary fee hikes by private schools

Tax relief can help families, but the government must also ensure parents are not crushed by unchecked fee increases.

States should enforce transparent, reasonable fee structures so education remains accessible and not a financial trap.

This change will:
✅ Provide direct relief to millions of middle-class taxpayers.
✅ Encourage timely healthcare treatment.
✅ Support better access to quality education.
✅ Build a healthier, better-educated future generation.

We, the undersigned citizens of India, urge the Finance Minister, Ministry of Finance, and GST Council to include this in the upcoming Union Budget.

Healthcare and education are basic needs, not luxuries. It’s time our tax system reflected that.