Assembly passes Bill to rein in arbitrary fee hikes by private schools

Hindustan Times

19 hours ago

The Delhi Assembly on Friday passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, with the stated aim of curbing 'arbitrary' fee hikes by private schools and introducing a long-term framework to address concerns of parents and students. The legislation applies to all 1,677 private unaided schools in the national capital. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta with her cabinet colleagues during monsoon session of Delhi Legislative assembly. (HT Photo)
The bill was approved by the Delhi Cabinet in April and was tabled by education minister Ashish Sood on Monday. It introduces a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism, imposes penalties of up to ₹10 lakh for violations, and mandates parental participation in the fee determination process.
During the discussion on the bill, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sanjeev Jha proposed that the legislation be referred to a select committee for further scrutiny. The proposal was rejected by voice vote, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holding a majority in the House – 48 members compared to the AAP's 22.
The issue of fee hikes had triggered widespread protests over the summer, with parents from across the city raising repeat concerns about steep and unregulated increases in private school fees.
Leader of the Opposition Atishi requested a division of votes, but the request was not granted as the BJP held 41 votes against 17 from the opposition. Following this, the AAP MLAs staged a walkout as the bill was passed by voice vote.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta said the bill was a landmark step in education reform and would bring long-overdue relief to parents. She said the bill was the result of consultations with parents, school managements, and civil society groups.
'After 52 years, Delhi's parents have received justice. The education minister spoke with hundreds of stakeholders to create a bill that truly represents the interest of the public. From the moment a child is born, parents begin worrying about school admissions and rising fees. This law offers them protection,' said Gupta.
She also criticised the previous Congress and AAP governments, claiming that they failed to address the issue during their tenures. 'The Congress ruled for 15 years and AAP for 11 years but did nothing. We have now provided a transparent structure with strict penalties and oversight,' she added.
Atishi criticised the bill, calling it a 'rubber stamp' for private schools and ineffective in curbing exploitative practices. 'The bill endorses unchecked fee hikes. There is no requirement for audits and no right for parents to approach courts for redressal. It is a bill drafted in favour of private schools,' she said.
Gupta rejected these allegations and said the opposition was raising objections without substance. She said the AAP had failed to improve the education system during its rule, claiming the party built only 20 schools in 11 years and did not fill thousands of teaching vacancies in government schools.
'There are currently 20,000 vacancies out of 60,000 sanctioned teacher posts in Delhi. Many schools do not have principals or adequate staff. Instead of fixing this, AAP is trying to mislead the public about our bill,' said the Chief Minister.
Sood also accused the AAP of spreading misinformation. He said the bill includes provisions for audits and transparency, citing Rule 180(3) of the Delhi School Education Rules (DSEAR), 1973.
'They claim the audit clause has been removed, which is entirely false. Audit provisions remain intact. The opposition's only strategy is to create noise without facts. They want to mislead the people,' said Sood.
He said the bill was a historic step in addressing arbitrary fee hikes and dismissed AAP's objections as politically motivated.
The legislation sets up three committees to oversee the implementation and compliance of the new fee regulation structure: the School Level Fee Regulation Committee, the District Fee Appellate Committee, and a Revision Committee at the top level.
Schools will not be allowed to collect fees beyond what is approved under the act. The government has said that the structure is designed to ensure accountability while involving all stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and school management representatives.
Gupta said the passage of the bill marks a shift in how private schools are expected to function in Delhi. 'Schools will no longer be allowed to function as profit-making enterprises. This bill will ensure that education remains a service, not a business. It changes not just the system but the mindset,' she said.
The bill will now be sent to the lieutenant governor for final approval before being enacted into law.