Why Delhi principals are not on board with draft Bill to regulate fees in private schools
The draft Bill to regulate fee hikes in all 1,677 aided and unaided private schools, which the Delhi BJP government has described as a 'historic and bold' move, has elicited sharp responses from schools.
While parents hail it as a long-overdue intervention against unregulated fee surges, experts warn that it may strangle institutions already grappling with rising costs and evolving educational demands.
The Delhi government has an existing framework related to the regulation of school fees; under Section 17 (3) of the Delhi School Education Act and Rules (DSEAR), 1973, every school is required to submit a statement of proposed fee hikes to the Directorate of Education by March 31 each year. They must also file their audited balance sheets by July 31.
The Act also touches extensively upon recognition, constitution of management committees, and grant-in-aid aids, among others.
According to school bodies and stakeholders that The Indian Express spoke to, apprehensions remain on how the new Bill will change things.
Dr Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Chairperson of DLF Foundation Schools, described the issue as 'complex and long-standing,' emphasising that many schools in Delhi are decades old and face increasing pressure to upgrade.
'The NEP (National Education Policy) also requires extra teachers, vocational education… The CBSE puts a lot of emphasis on quality infrastructure like playgrounds, labs, and new subjects. There has to be a fee hike, which is not elaborate,' she said. 'Construction costs have tripled. Many schools are borrowing from alumni due to fund crunches. Schools should be self-sustaining entities.'
While acknowledging that the Bill can protect parents and curb arbitrary hikes, Wattal cautioned against bureaucratic overreach: 'There is no need to reinvent the wheel and create committee after committee… this only leads to red tapeism. CBSE already conducts thorough inspections of school infrastructure and staff requirements…'
The Private Schools and Children Welfare Association, which represents thousands of budget private schools across India, also expressed deep reservations.
Its national president, Syed Shamael Ahmad, said a 'one-size-fits-all mechanism' would disproportionately harm medium and low-budget schools. 'Ninety per cent of schools are medium-budget schools. Only a few are elite. The same regulatory mechanism cannot apply to both,' Ahmad said.
'The decisions to impose hefty fines and set up multiple committees seem like exploitative tools. Such a policy will force budget schools to shut down.'
Dr Kavitha A Sharma, noted academician and Vice-Chairperson of the Managing Board in Springdales School, Pusa Road, warned that a blanket fee regulation will be hard to implement across Delhi's wide spectrum of schools — 'from elite to schools that serve first-generation learners'.
'There is a shortage of quality teachers in private schools. Incentives like good pay are needed to encourage more teachers. Government school teachers match the quality, but their potential is wasted; they are constantly on Census or election duty, frequently transferred, and women teachers suffer the most. Meanwhile, many low-fee private schools underpay teachers. That's where government oversight is urgently needed…,' she added.
Mahesh Mishra, a parent of a student at Delhi Public School, Dwarka, called for an 'urgent revision' of the draft Bill. '…the execution and approach of this draft legislation are deeply flawed and require urgent revision.'
'… most schools in Delhi do not have democratically elected parent-teacher associations (PTAs). Without PTAs, the first-level committee proposed in the Bill — tasked with reviewing fee structures — will be biased in favor of school management,' Mishra added.
Bharat Arora, president of the Action Committee Unaided Recognised Private Schools, said, 'The proposed Bill is a welcome step towards transparency. However, it is equally vital to safeguard the autonomy of private unaided schools that have long supported the city's educational framework.'
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