Delhi Cabinet approves bill to regulate fee in private, government schools
NEW DELHI: In a first for the national capital, the Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft of the Delhi School Fees Act, a landmark move aimed at regulating private school fee structures and bringing relief to thousands of parents struggling with arbitrary hikes.
After weeks of mounting concerns from parents, show-cause notices to schools and demands for audit reports, the Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, took the decisive step to address the long-standing issue.
Once tabled and passed in the Delhi Assembly, the Act will become law and will apply to all 1,677 private schools in Delhi.
“There was a panic among children and their parents due to activities being done by school administration. We studied it deeply, and took steps in that regard... No previous governments took any steps regarding school fee hikes in Delhi. Since 1973, no provision has been made to address this issue. Today, I am pleased to say that Delhi government has taken a historic and brave decision in this regard. The Delhi Cabinet has approved draft bill to regulate fees in private, government schools," said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
She added, “For the first time in history, the government is drafting a comprehensive bill that will outline clear guidelines and procedures for regulating fees in all 1,677 schools across Delhi, whether they are aided, unaided, or private institutions. We have sent our district officials to schools to investigate the matter where parents have reported that our children are being ill-treated and unnecessary pressure is being exerted on them for fees.”
Education Minister Ashish Sood said that three committees would be formed to implement the new regulations, with the responsibility of setting the fee structures for a three-year period based on each school’s infrastructure. He noted that both teachers and parents would be involved in the decision-making process.
He added that schools would only be permitted to raise fees once every three years, and strict action would be taken against institutions violating the new norms. “The schools violating it will be taken over,” Sood said.
Until now, there has been no law in Delhi to regulate how private schools determine or hike their fees. This legislative gap has resulted in unchecked increases, causing distress among families. The new bill also seeks to empower the existing 16-member School Management Committees, which include two nominees from the Directorate of Education, to ensure better oversight.