Latest news with #RekhaGupta-led
Mint
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Mint
₹10 lakh fine, derecognition: Delhi Govt's bill proposes ‘permanent solution' for ‘arbitrary' school fee hikes
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Monday tabled the "Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees), Bill, 2025" in the Delhi Assembly. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government has said the proposed law would regulate the arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital, providing relief to lakhs of students and their families. Sood said that the proposed legislation seeks to end the commercialisation of education and take action against those exploiting it for profit. "Education is not a thing to be sold. This bill aims to halt the commercialisation of education. We are bringing the bill to take action against those mafias who are selling education..." Sood said while tabling the bill on the first day of the Monsoon session of the Eighth Legislative Assembly of Delhi, on Monday. A discussion on the bill is scheduled in the House today. Sood said the proposed legislation would provide a 'permanent solution to a long-ignored issue that affects millions of parents and children in Delhi.' The draft bill, which was approved by Rekha Gupta-led Delhi Cabinet in April, covers all 1,677 private unaided schools in the Capital. It proposes sweeping reforms to the fee regulation system, including a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism, penalties of up to ₹ 10 lakh for violations, and a mandatory role for parents in deciding fee structures. 'This bill is a small effort on our part to honour Dr. Mukherjee's vision and to ensure that education does not become a burden on the people of India, but instead becomes a path leading them to a better future,' Sood said later. The bill proposes the formation of three key committees: the School Level Fee Regulation Committee, the District Fee Appellate Committee, and the Revision Committee. It bars any school from collecting fees in excess of what has been approved under it. Each private school has to constitute a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee annually on 15 July. The committee will include five parents from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), selected by a draw of lots. It will also include at least two women and at least one other member from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or socially and educationally backwards classes. A representative from the Directorate of Education (DoE) will also be part of the committee. The chairperson will be a representative of the school management, the draft law says. The school management must submit fee proposals to this panel by July 31 and have them approved by September 15. Once finalised, the fee structure will stay fixed for the next three academic years. The decision of the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee must come from an 'Aggrieved Parents Group' comprising at least 15 per cent of the particular school's parents. The school can then escalate the matter to the District Appellate Committee by September 30. Disputes must be resolved within 45 days at each appellate level. The Revision Committee has the final authority, and its rulings will be binding for three years. Section 8 of the draft bill lists the criteria for determining fees – school location, infrastructure, teacher salaries, and revenue surplus. Section 12 details penalties. Unauthorised fee hikes can invite fines between ₹ 1– ₹ 10 lakh, doubling every 20 days until compliance. Repeat offenders will be required to refund excess fees and may lose recognition if violations continue. Sood told reporters that for ten years, the Aam Aadmi Party was sitting in its air-conditioned rooms, and parents were going to court with their children for fees. The opposition AAP, however, slammed the legislation, calling it a 'sham bill' that legalises profiteering and sidelines parent voices. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly and former CM Atishi demanded that it be sent to a select committee. This bill is a small effort on our part to honour Dr. Mukherjee's vision and to ensure that education does not become a burden. 'After letting private schools hike fees unchecked for four months, the BJP now brings a sham bill that hands control to school owners, blocks parent voices, and protects profiteers. The AAP will fight it in the Assembly, on the streets, and in court. We have demanded that the bill be sent to a Select Committee and all fee hikes frozen at 2024–25 levels,' Atishi said. Some parents have raised issues with the proposed law, particularly with the definition of 'aggrieved parents.' Others have issues with the selection process for parent representatives in the school-level committee. 'Requiring a minimum of 15 percent of a school's parents to challenge the school-level Fee Regulatory Committee's decision before the district committee is nearly impossible. It effectively denies parents the right to contest arbitrary fee hikes,' Ashok Agarwal, chairperson of All India Parents Association, told news website The Print.
Indian Express
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Will take protest to every slum cluster in city: Delhi Congress
In its first major street protest since the BJP formed government in Delhi earlier this year, the Congress Monday accused the Rekha Gupta-led government of forcibly evicting slum dwellers across the city without rehabilitating them. 'The Congress will not allow the BJP to drive the poor out of Delhi. This government's agenda is to remove 'garib, not garibi, (the poor, and not poverty),' said Delhi Congress Chief Devender Yadav, announcing that the party will take its agitation to every JJ cluster in the city. Party leaders invoked the legacy of former CM Sheila Dikshit, claiming theirs was the only party that had made efforts to regularise and resettle slum clusters. 'Congress built in-situ flats in areas like Bhoomiheen Camp and Kathputli Colony. BJP only makes hollow promises,' said former MP Udit Raj. 'What's happening with slum dwellers is no surprise. This is BJP's character,' said former MP and Sheila Dikshit's son Sandeep Dikshit. Amid the demonstration at the Assembly, allegedly held without permission, Delhi Police repeatedly announced that Section 144 was in place and that public gatherings were prohibited. Even as Congress workers continued their demonstration despite warnings, police deployed water cannons and detained at least 36 protesters, including Yadav, who was taken to Subzi Mandi police station. The demonstration was called against the recent demolition in areas such as Jangpura, Kalkaji, Wazirpur and Ashok Vihar. More than 3,000 homes in slums have been demolished and 15,000 families have been rendered homeless over the past five months, without advance notice or alternate housing options, the party alleged. In a symbolic act, party workers brought a paper jhuggi topped with a toy bulldozer, bearing photographs of BJP ministers with the words 'Haye Haye' written below. A poster on a protest truck read: 'Jahan pe kiya jhuggi waalon ko beghar, wahin banao unka ghar (relocate the homeless jhuggi dwellers in the same area)'. Last month, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited the Ashok Vihar slum cluster in Jailorwala Bagh, where hundreds of homes were demolished in June as part of an ongoing anti-encroachment drive. Videos shared by the Congress on social media showed Gandhi walking through the debris, speaking to residents who said they were left homeless.
News18
02-08-2025
- Business
- News18
Delhi Govt To Introduce Bill To Regulate Fee Hikes Across Private Schools: CM Rekha Gupta
Last Updated: As per the Cabinet-approved ordinance passed on April 29, the bill will enforce strict penalties on schools that arbitrarily increase fees. The Delhi government will introduce a bill to regulate fee hikes by private schools in the upcoming Monsoon Session, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Saturday. As per the Cabinet-approved ordinance passed on April 29, the bill will enforce strict penalties on schools that arbitrarily increase fees, reported PTI. For a first offence, schools will face fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, with repeat violations drawing penalties between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. If a school fails to refund within the specified time, the fine doubles after 20 days, triples after 40 days, and continues to increase with every 20-day delay. Continuous violations may result in a ban on holding official positions in the school management and the loss of the right to propose future fee revisions, the report added. 'It is a matter of happiness that the Delhi Legislative Assembly will now be paperless. We have also developed the assembly as a model Legislative Assembly, as it is now completely dependent on solar power," she stated. The chief minister added that efforts are also underway to make the Delhi Secretariat paperless, as part of the government's broader digital and sustainable governance agenda. 'We are taking policy decisions to make Delhi developed," she said. The Monsoon Session will be the third session of the Delhi Assembly under the Rekha Gupta-led government. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Mint
BIG relief for parents? Delhi govt to move Bill to regulate private school fee hikes
Delhi government will table education bill to regulate fees hike by private schools in the upcoming Monsoon session, CM Rekha Gupta said on Saturday. The monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly will commence on August 4, and will continue for five days. According to the Cabinet-approved ordinance, passed on April 29, the bill imposes strict penalties on schools that hike fees arbitrarily. For a first offence, schools will face fines ranging from ₹ 1 lakh to ₹ 5 lakh, with repeat violations attracting penalties between ₹ 2 lakh and ₹ 10 lakh. If the school fails to refund within the specified time, the fine doubles after 20 days, triples after 40 days, and continues to increase with every 20-day delay. Repeated violations may lead to a ban on holding official positions in the school management and loss of the right to propose future fee revisions. On May 14, several students were denied entry into the premises of DPS Dwarka over non-payment of fees as angry parents protested outside the gates, Indian Express had reported. The Monsoon Session will be the third session of the Delhi Assembly under the Rekha Gupta-led government. The chief minister added that efforts are also underway to make the Delhi Secretariat paperless, as part of the government's broader digital and sustainable governance agenda. (This is a developing story. Keep checking for more updates)
News18
29-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Delhi Govt Clears Night Shift Policy For Women; Safety Protocols Made Mandatory In Shops, Workplaces
The proposal, following prior discussions, will now be sent to the lieutenant governor for approval With an aim to boost women's participation in Delhi's workforce and to make the national capital a round-the-clock business hub, the city government on Tuesday gave its nod to the night shift policy for women in shops and commercial establishments. In an official statement, the Rekha Gupta-led government said that currently, Sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954, prohibit women from working between 9 pm and 7 am during summers and between 8 pm and 8 am during winters. L-G nod needed The proposal, following prior discussions, will now be sent to the lieutenant governor for approval. To implement it, exemptions will be made under Sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954. The forthcoming amendment will remove these restrictions, enabling women to work night shifts across the city. 'In a major step towards empowering women and enhancing their self-reliance, the Delhi Government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has taken a landmark decision to allow women to work in night shifts (24×7) in shops and commercial establishments," the statement reads. Women's safety a priority Highlighting the safety framework, the chief minister stated that stringent measures are being implemented to ensure women's security during night shifts, including compulsory transportation facilities and comprehensive CCTV surveillance. She noted that similar permissions are already in place in Haryana, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. To safeguard women working on night shifts, a comprehensive set of conditions will be mandatory for all establishments. 'Written consent of female employees will be required prior to assigning night shifts. Workplaces must have CCTV surveillance, female security guards, and secure transport facilities. Each establishment must also constitute an Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act. Furthermore, restrooms, toilets, lockers, and other basic amenities must be provided," the government stated. Additional conditions include mandatory electronic payment of wages (bank/ECS), provision of all statutory benefits, including ESI, bonus, provident fund, as well as weekly offs and overtime compensation. Gupta stated that this decision will not only contribute to making Delhi a 24×7 business hub but also significantly enhance women's participation in the workforce and improve the city's ease of doing business rankings. 'This policy would play a pivotal role in establishing Delhi as a 24×7 business hub and underscores the government's commitment to women's empowerment and economic independence," she said. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
