Latest news with #RevisionCommittee
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.
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt tables education bill to curb ‘arbitrary' fee hikes
In a move aimed at reining in 'arbitrary' fee hikes by private schools, Delhi education minister Ashish Sood on Monday introduced the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 in the Assembly. The legislation, he said, will provide a 'permanent solution to a long-ignored issue that affects millions of parents and children in Delhi.' Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta at the Delhi legislative assembly on Monday. (HT Photo) The draft bill, which was approved by the 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. 'Today, I bring before this House a permanent solution to a long-ignored issue… The purpose of education is not to generate profit, but to ensure learning and nation-building,' said Sood, invoking the central government's resolution of 'legacy issues' such as the Ram Mandir, Article 370, and the Chenab Bridge. 'The Delhi government is similarly resolving critical and complex issues -- one of the most pressing being the unchecked rise in private school fees,' he said. Sood said the bill takes a bottom-up approach. 'This is a true embodiment of government of the people, by the people, for the people. Parents will now have a say in the decision-making process.' A discussion on the bill is expected in the Assembly on Tuesday. Chief minister Rekha Gupta endorsed the bill, writing on X that it would 'strictly curb the commercialization of education. Action will now be taken against those who are selling education like a product.' 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 the act. The school-level committee – comprising parents, teachers, and management – must be set up by July 15 each year. Fee proposals must be submitted by July 31 and approved by September 15. If the committee fails to decide on the fees, the school can escalate the matter to the District Appellate Committee by September 30. Disputes must be resolved within 45 days at each appellate level, with the final authority resting with the Revision Committee, whose rulings will be binding for three years. Section 8 of the bill lists the criteria for determining fees – school location, infrastructure, teacher salaries, and revenue surplus. Section 12 details penalties: unauthorized 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. Principals of several schools welcomed the move. 'This is a positive step toward ensuring that fee structures reflect the quality of education provided,' said Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka. 'Most schools are already preparing to set up the required committees. We're waiting to see how the law will be implemented.' Minakshi Kushwaha, principal of Birla Vidya Niketan in Pushp Vihar said the bill may not be able to solve the long standing issue of fee hikes, adding that the bill needs to be revisited. 'Firstly, the clause of social inclusion where a person from backward community has to be included in the committee may not be feasible for each school. Secondly, formation of committees and how their members are selected may lead to either kickbacks from the school or standoff between parents and the school in case of disagreement. Finally, the government should not dilute the autonomy of private schools in determining their fees,' she said. However, the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the legislation, calling it a 'sham bill' that legalises profiteering and sidelines parent voices. Leader of Opposition Atishi demanded that it be sent to a select committee. '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.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC raps govt over delay in revision committee in school fees matters
Jaipur: The expressed displeasure over the govt's failure to constitute the under the , 2016, despite a lapse of nine years since the enactment. A single judge bench of Justice Anoop Dhand took strong note of the delay, questioning the govt's inaction in the petition filed by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan Vidyashram School. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Rajasthan Schools Regulation of Fee Act, 2016, was enacted to regulate and ensure transparency. "Section 10 of the Act provides for the constitution of a Revision Committee, which serves as an appellate body to hear challenges against orders passed by the Divisional Fee Regulatory Committee. However, it has not yet been constituted by the state govt," said Prateek Kasliwal, counsel for the petitioner. "The delayed constitution of the Revision Committee has likely caused inconvenience to schools and parents, who are left without a functional appellate body to address their grievances. The court's intervention may prompt the govt to take immediate action to establish the committee and ensure that the provisions of the Act are implemented effectively," said Kasliwal. "Despite the Act coming into force in 2016, the Revision Committee of the state has not been constituted to date. What's more striking is that the govt of Rajasthan assured the court in May 2024 that the committee would be functional from June 15, 2024. However, the committee remains non-existent so far," said Justice Dhand. The court has now asked the principal secretary, education, to appear in court on May 19, either in person or via video conferencing, and he should file an affidavit explaining the reasons behind the delay in constituting the Revision Committee.
