Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025: Major Highlights

The Delhi Cabinet has given the green signal to the draft Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. The move follows protests by parents against fee hikes over the past several months in schools across the city. The bill regulates fees in private and government-aided private schools. The cleared bill in the Cabinet meeting applies to all 1,677 aided and unaided private schools, to fix guidelines and procedures for fee hikes.

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Key Highlights

1. Schools in Delhi will not be allowed to increase fees without clearance from government-mandated committees.
2. Schools found violating the guidelines will face a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh.
3. The committees will be formed at three levels to address the fee hike issues.
4. School-level fee regulation committee comprises six members from a school, including the principal and three teachers, five parents or guardians, and a nominee from the Directorate of Education. These five parents (two women and a parent from the reserved category) will be selected by the Parent Teacher Association through a draw of lots. The committee will be responsible for decisions related to fee hikes or any other related issues at the school level.
5. The school-level committee will be formed by July 31 to discuss the fee hikes for the next academic year. They have to submit a report within 30 days, and if they do not submit the report, the district-level committee will have to speak to parents and give its report. Parents can appeal against the report to the state-level committee and review and give its decision. Even after approval from the state-level committee, if at least 15 percent of the parents are against the fee-hike proposal, they can file an appeal.
6. The district level committee will have seven members, and will hear appeals from schools or parents against decisions made by the school level committee. The committee will submit its report within 40-50 days. If the appelant is not satisfied with the district committee’s decision, the matter will be sent to the state-level committee.
7. Schools can not take any coercive steps against students, such as making them sit in a library instead of attending classes. A fine of Rs 50,000 per student complaint will be imposed on the schools, and the fine will be doubled if the school does not submit it within 20 days. If the school does not make a decision, it will automatically go to the district and state-level committees.

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Earlier provisions to regulate fees in Delhi schools

1. Earlier, under the Delhi School Act of 1973, there was no guideline that the fees of private schools should not be increased.
2. In 2015, the Delhi School Fee Regulation Bill was brought but was not implemented as it was considered to be more stringent on the regulations.
3. In April 2024, the Delhi High Court stayed an order passed by the Delhi government, which said that a school built on land granted by it will have to seek its nod before raising fees.