The Delhi government has introduced "The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025" in the Delhi Assembly, marking a significant step towards regulating fee hikes by private schools in the capital. Education Minister Ashish Sood presented the bill, emphasizing that education should not be treated as a commercial commodity. The move follows growing tensions between parents and private schools over substantial fee increases in recent years.
The bill aims to curb the commercialization of education by providing greater government oversight on how private schools revise their fees, imposing penalties for arbitrary hikes, and ensuring transparency and accountability in fee structures. It proposes a regulatory mechanism for all private schools in Delhi, mandating prior approval from a government-appointed body for any fee increases. Schools will also be required to disclose all charges and components in their fee structures transparently.
Several factors led to the introduction of the bill, including significant fee hikes by private schools in the 2025-26 academic year, with some schools raising fees by 30-45%. These increases placed a heavy burden on middle-class and working-class families, leading to widespread protests. Parents demanded transparency in fee structures and government intervention, accusing schools of operating as profit-making enterprises. Cases of students being barred from classes due to unpaid fees further fueled the unrest.
The bill proposes strict penalties for schools violating the regulations. For a first-time offense, schools may face fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Repeat violations could attract penalties of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. If a school fails to refund the excess fee within the specified timeline, the penalty will double after 20 days, triple after 40 days, and continue to increase every 20 days thereafter. The bill also establishes a formal grievance redressal system for parents to challenge arbitrary hikes or mistreatment.
Under the new bill, private schools can only increase fees once in three years and must propose a fee structure for a block of three academic years. This structure will be reviewed and approved by a regulatory committee by September 15 each term. The bill introduces a three-tier regulation and grievance system, starting with a committee comprising school management, principal, teachers, parents, and an official nominee to approve fee proposals. A District Fee Appellate Committee would resolve disputes between parents and schools, and a Revision Committee would outline a binding decision in case of appeals against the District committee decisions.
However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticized the bill, alleging that it is designed to benefit private schools. One point of contention is the requirement that at least 15% of parents must unite to challenge any fee hike, which some parents term "impractical". Concerns have also been raised about the removal of a clause from the 1973 law that required schools given land by the government to secure prior approval from the Director of Education before hiking fees. The new law leaves the decision with a school-controlled committee.
Despite the opposition, the Delhi government maintains that the bill is in the interest of parents and will check the arbitrary practices of schools. Education Minister Ashish Sood has stated his commitment to stopping the commercialization of education and taking action against those who are selling education for profit. The success of the bill will depend on its effective implementation and whether it balances regulation with the autonomy needed by schools to maintain quality education.
