Latest news with #School-LevelFeeRegulationCommittee
India Today
2 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Delhi brings new law to regulate private school fee hikes. Explained
The Delhi government has tabled the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 in a move to curb unregulated fee hikes in private unaided decision follows prolonged protests from parents across the capital over sudden and steep increases in school the bill 'historic', the Delhi government has said it is a much-needed step towards accountability and fairness in school fee The legislation will apply to all 1,677 private unaided schools in Delhi, including institutions built on private land and those run by minority groups, which previously operated with limited regulatory THREE-TIER REGULATORY SYSTEM INTRODUCEDThe bill introduces a structured mechanism to determine fee revisions. At the base level, every school must set up a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee, comprising representatives from school management, teaching staff, and randomly selected body will assess and approve proposed fee hikes of up to 15% annually, based on transparent criteria such as employee salaries, infrastructure costs, and demographic disputes arise at this level, they can be escalated to a District Fee Appellate Committee led by the local Deputy Director of unresolved or further contested issues, the matter can be taken to the State-Level Revision Committee, chaired by an independent education expert. Decisions made at this level will be binding for a period of three DEADLINES AND PENALTIES OUTLINEDAccording to the bill, schools must submit their proposed fee hikes by July 31 each decisions are expected by will attract penalties ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. In cases where schools do not refund overcharged fees on time, the fines will double. Repeated violations could even lead to derecognition or a government takeover of the AND CONCERNS FROM PARENT GROUPSDespite the government's strong defence of the bill, it has drawn criticism from several quarters.A key concern is the requirement that complaints must be filed by at least 15% of affected parents, which may discourage individual grievances from being also point out that allowing schools to raise fees by up to 15% each year, even with conditions, essentially legalises steep annual hikes instead of limiting them more strictly. The bill has also been faulted for not mandating independent financial audits of schools, a loophole that could weaken contentious clause is the retroactive implementation of the law from April 1, 2025. This could potentially validate earlier fee increases by schools before the law was in DEFENDS THE MOVEDelhi Education Minister Ashish Sood has backed the legislation, calling it 'the most democratic bill ever introduced' in the context of school fee gives parents a direct role in the decision-making process,' he said, adding that the bill ensures transparency and protects families from arbitrary fee the new law moves forward, much will depend on its execution and the participation of stakeholders across the system.- Ends
Mint
3 days ago
- 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.
The Print
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
What's in Delhi govt's new private school fee regulation bill & why are parents concerned
The new bill aims to ensure uniform fee regulation for all private unaided schools, including minority institutes, as well as those not allotted any government land. Till now, fee regulation in Delhi has applied only to private schools operating on land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority. The bill also prohibits schools from harassing students over unpaid or delayed fees, including measures such as striking off names, withholding results, denying access to classes, or public humiliation. On Monday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood introduced the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025. The move comes three months after they first announced the bill amid a wave of protests by parents over fee hikes by several private schools at the start of the academic session in April. New Delhi: Calling its bill to regulate fees in private schools 'historic', the Delhi government Monday introduced the much-awaited draft legislation in the assembly as parents raised concerns over several of its provisions, including the requirement of at least 15 percent of parents uniting to challenge any fee hike by private schools, terming the condition as 'impractical'. Speaking to the media, ahead of the assembly session, Sood said, 'Today marks a golden day in the history of Delhi's education system. For the first time in 27 years, a historic bill will be introduced in the assembly under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.' The bill was 'aimed at ending the exploitation, pressure, and mental harassment faced by parents over school fees', added Sood. ThePrint explains what the draft bill is and why parents remain unconvinced that it will resolve the issue. How will fee approvals work now? According to the bill, each private school will need to form a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee annually. Constituted by 15 July of every academic year, the committee will include five parents from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), as selected in a draw of lots. It must also include at least two women and at least one other member from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or socially and educationally backwards classes. Additionally, a representative from the Directorate of Education (DoE) will be part of the committee. The chairperson will be a representative of the school management. Once the committee is in place, the school management should submit the proposed fee structure and all other relevant records, considering 31 July as the deadline to do so. For the next three academic years, the fee structure will stay fixed. The committee will have the authority to review and approve the fees, but cannot approve an amount higher than the one proposed by management. It may revise the amount downward. The committee must decide on the fee within 30 days of receiving the proposal. Once approved, the fee structure will be on the school notice board in Hindi, English, and the medium of instruction. If the school has a website, the approved fee must also be published there. What the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee approves will be binding on the school for the next three academic years. The committee will also specify the various heads under which private schools can charge fees. Also Read: Two realities of NEP: Sensory classrooms & hi-tech labs, to kids sitting on floor & no teachers What happens if parents aren't satisfied? The bill mandates that any challenge to the decision of the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee must come from an 'Aggrieved Parents Group', comprising at least 15 percent of the total number of parents in the school. Only when supported by at least 15 percent of the parent body, a fee-related grievance will be considered. When it wishes to challenge the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee, the 'Aggrieved Parents Group' can approach the District Fee Appellate Committee—constituted by the Director of Education, chaired by the district Deputy Director of Education, and including representatives from the school management and the parent-teacher association, and a chartered accountant. The District Fee Appellate Committee must communicate its decision on any fee dispute within 30 days of receiving the appeal, and no later than 45 days within the same academic year. If it fails to do so, the matter will automatically be referred to the Revision Committee, as specified in the Act. If the 'Aggrieved Parents Group' or school management is dissatisfied with the decision, they could file an appeal before the Revision Committee within 30 days. The Revision Committee will be notified by the government and chaired by an eminent person with notable contributions in the field of education. It will also have representatives from the parents and the school. The bill proposes strict penalties for non-compliance, with fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. In cases of non-payment, the government can seize and sell the movable or immovable property of the school management, appoint a receiver to manage assets, or take any other recovery action, as prescribed in the bill. However, it will not impose a penalty without hearing both parties and giving adequate time. Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL public school, said the school has already constituted the school level committee. 'We will try to take parents on board right from the beginning so that there is no need to go to the district committee. It's too early to comment on the bill. Let it first be pass and come into effect,' she said. Why are parents raising concerns? Among the various concerns parents are raising over the proposed bill, the most important is how the bill defines 'aggrieved parents'. It would deprive individual parents of their right to raise a complaint, they argue. '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,' said Ashok Agarwal, chairperson of All India Parents Association. Parents are also raising concerns over the selection process for parent representatives in the school-level committee. 'Why cannot there be elections instead? Who will ensure the draw of lots is fair and free from discrepancies? How do you guarantee transparency?' asked Shikha Bhagga, a lawyer and member of the Forum of Indian Parents. Bhagga also questioned the criteria to determine fees. 'Infrastructure should not be a factor in deciding the fee—it is the school's asset, not the responsibility of the students. Both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court have held in several cases that infrastructure has no direct bearing on fees,' she said. Moreover, parents are showing concern over one of the clauses—the fees, which schools will charge, starting 1 April 2025, will be the proposed fee for the 2025–26 academic year. 'Many schools hiked fees illegally this year without any approval, and they continue to charge them. The bill not only allows that but effectively legitimises it,' Bhagga added. Questioning the bill, AAP's Atishi called it a deliberate attempt by the BJP government to protect the interests of private schools, rather than those of the students and parents. 'The government intentionally delayed the bill from April to July, allowing schools to hike fees unchecked and extort money from parents. The biggest concern is that the bill includes no provision to roll back these fee hikes, effectively legitimising them. This bill serves private school owners, not the public,' she said in a press conference. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: 'Honest history, not ideology'—NCERT social science panel chief on changes in Class 8 textbook
