New Delhi, Sept. 23 -- Nursery rhymes and alphabet tracing are giving way to Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia-and preschool fees of up to Rs.400,000 a year. The premium reflects investments in method-specific equipment, learning environments, teachers and other resources, schools say.

In India's metros, annual fees for pedagogy-based preschools range from Rs.250,000 to Rs.400,000, according to Sana Bhambhani, Centre Head at Safari Kid, Mumbai. By comparison, regular preschools charge Rs.60,000 to Rs.120,000 a year, based on a Mint review of preschool fees in metros.

For some parents, higher fees can be a proxy for quality, as they seek to give their children an early advantage. But the financial question is whether the premium del...