In a significant step aimed at cushioning parents from unscientific school fee hikes, the Delhi Cabinet has approved an ordinance that seeks to tighten regulations on private school fees and impose strict penalties for violations.

The ordinance, based on the draft Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, will now be sent for presidential approval through the Lieutenant Governor, according to a communication by the government.

Effectively, this will now allow the authorities to impose fines and restrict schools from proposing fee revisions if they are violating norms.

The government clarified that while schools retain the right to propose fees, they must do so within a defined framework. Schools under suspension or repeated penalty will be barred from suggesting any revisions for the academic year.

Announcing the decision, Delhi’s education minister Ashish Sood said the move is a major victory for parents, especially those with children studying in private unaided schools. This is a landmark day. Once enacted into law, it will prevent schools from hiking fees arbitrarily,” he stated.

Penalty

A fine up to Rs 10 lakh can be levied against schools for non-compliance. Fines for first-time violations from Rs 1 to Rs 5 lakh while repeat offenders could face fines of between Rs 2 and Rs 10 lakh. Additionally, if a school fails to refund excess fees collected in violation of the norms within 20 working days, the penalty amount would double every 20 days of delay. Repeating offenders could also lose their right to levy future fee hikes, and members of their management could be disqualified from holding key positions.

Committees

Three-tiered committees will be constituted at the school, district, and revision levels to oversee the same. The top-tier Revision Committee—headed by the director of education—will include government officials, financial experts, and parent representatives, with its rulings binding for three years.

All private schools, including those offering international curricula or minority institutions on subsidized land, will be required to establish a School Level Fee Regulation Committee annually by July 15. This committee will include members from both staff and parental communities, with mandates to reflect diversity and inclusivity.

Inputs from PTI 

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