Delhi's Historic Move to Regulate School Fees

Delhi’s Historic Move to Regulate School Fees

Delhi Cabinet Approves Draft Bill – In a significant development, the Delhi Cabinet has approved the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. This draft bill aims to regulate the fee structures in both private and government-aided private schools across the city. The decision comes in response to widespread protests from parents concerning frequent and often unregulated fee hikes in schools.

Formation of Fee Regulation Committees

To ensure transparency and fairness, the bill proposes the establishment of fee regulation committees at three levels:

School-Level Committee: Comprising six members from the school, including the principal and three teachers, along with five parents/guardians selected through a draw by the Parent Teacher Association. A nominee from the Directorate of Education will also be included.
District-Level Committee: Consisting of seven members, this committee will address appeals from schools or parents regarding decisions made at the school level.
State-Level Committee: Serving as the final appellate authority, this committee will review decisions from the district level and issue binding rulings for three academic years.

Factors Influencing Fee Determination

The committees will consider various factors when determining appropriate fee structures, including:

Location and infrastructure of the school
Educational standards prescribed by the government
Maintenance expenditures
Teacher salaries
Surplus funds generated from donations or NRIs

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Schools found violating the guidelines set forth by these committees will face stringent penalties. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to ₹10 lakh, ensuring that institutions adhere to the prescribed fee structures.

Empowering Parents

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized that this bill empowers parents by providing them with a platform to voice their concerns and participate in fee-related decisions. She stated, “This Bill is going to be a lifeline for parents because now they will have decision-making power.”

Implementation Timeline

The school-level committees are expected to be formed by July 31, 2025, to discuss fee hikes for the upcoming academic year. Reports from these committees must be submitted within 30 days. If a consensus is not reached, the matter will escalate to the district and, if necessary, the state-level committee.