In a landmark initiative to curb unchecked fee hikes and enhance transparency, the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 was tabled by Education Minister Ashish Sood at a Parents’ Town Hall in Janakpuri. The bill, passed during the Monsoon Assembly Session, aims to bring all private schools in Delhi under a unified regulatory framework.
Key Provisions of the New Bill
Universal Coverage: The legislation now covers all 1,700+ private unaided schools in Delhi — including those on private land previously exempted — closing a significant loophole from the 1973 law.
Parental Involvement and Veto Power: Fee determination will now include parent-teacher-school-management committees, granting parents a direct role—and veto—in annual fee decisions.
Structured Timelines and Appeal System:
School-level decisions by July 15
District-level decisions by July 30
Finalization by September, with unresolved cases automatically routed to an appellate committee after 45 days.
Three-Tier Regulatory Framework:
School-Level Fee Committee: Includes school leadership, teachers, parent representatives (selected via draw), and government nominees.
District Fee Appellate Committee: Chaired by Deputy Director of Education, reviews disputes.
State-Level Revision Committee: Headed by eminent educationists, handling final appeals.
Mandatory Financial Disclosure: Schools must submit robust documentation—including audited accounts, infrastructure costs, and expenditure—before seeking approval for fee hikes.
Strong Penalties for Violations:
Fines vary from 1 lakh to 10 lakh, increasingly punitive for repeat or delayed refund cases.
Schools may face revoked recognition, management disqualification, and even asset freezes.
In some reports, a penalty of 50,000/- per student for unauthorized hikes has also been proposed.
Immediate Redressal Pathways: The bill promises a clear grievance mechanism, empowering parents to report fee harassment directly to education officials.
Why It Matters
Brings Accountability: The bill addresses long-standing absence of oversight in private school fee hikes, offering relief to middle-class families burdened by soaring costs.
Pushback from Critics: Opposition figures—including AAP’s Atishi and Manish Sisodia—have raised concerns over:
Lack of retroactive rollback for this year’s hikes.
Potential bias with school-dominated committees.
Requirement of collective complaints (e.g., 15% of parents), which may limit individual grievance access.
Government’s Vision: CM Rekha Gupta hailed the bill as a “historic step”, promising accessible education across all sections without financial distress, pushing for equity and accountability.
Summary Table:
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Applicability | All 1,700+ private schools in Delhi |
| Decision Committees | School → District → State levels |
| Timeline | School by July 15 → District by July 30 → Final by September |
| Parental Role | Active participation and veto power |
| Compliance Requirements | Audited financial disclosures |
| Penalties | 1–10 lakh fines, possible de-recognition |
| Grievance Redressal | Tiered appeal structure and direct reporting option |
| Criticisms | Limited rollback, potential bias, collective complaint rule |
This sweeping reform positions Delhi’s private education landscape on a path toward transparency and fairness—though its true impact will depend heavily on transparent implementation and equitable hearing of parental concerns.