Education official in Delhi proposes legislation to manage tuition fees in private educational institutions

Education official in Delhi proposes legislation to manage tuition fees in private educational institutions

Delhi's New School Fees Regulation Bill: Aiming for Transparency and Fairness

The Delhi Assembly has tabled a new bill, the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, aiming to bring all private and government schools under a uniform and transparent fee regulation framework [1][2][3]. This move is designed to end unchecked fee increases, profiteering by private schools, and ensure accountability and fairness for parents across the city.

The key provisions of this bill include:

1. Uniform applicability: The bill extends regulation to nearly 1,443 private schools on private land and government land without prior regulation, thus covering all private and government schools in Delhi [1][2].
2. Mandatory prior approval: Schools must seek and obtain government permission before increasing fees, stopping arbitrary hikes, especially in smaller private schools that were previously unregulated [1][3].
3. Enhanced transparency and accountability: The bill replaces the prior reactive and limited framework with a proactive one, empowering the government to monitor and regulate fee revisions effectively [3].
4. Preventing profiteering: The government framed the bill to end "unchecked profiteering" by private schools and restore parents’ rights and trust in the education system [2][4].
5. Addressing legal and implementation gaps: The bill counters issues arising after Covid-19 when many schools defied government orders on fee hikes, and courts stayed certain regulations. It seeks to provide clear regulatory authority and uniform enforcement regardless of school size or location [1][2].
6. Political and stakeholder context: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government rejected all opposition amendments aiming to weaken the bill. Parent groups demand inclusion of play schools and accurate school data for effective regulation [2][5].

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized in the Assembly that schools are “temples of education, not profit-making machines,” highlighting the bill’s goal to serve public interest and provide justice for parents [4]. The bill was passed by majority vote in the Delhi Assembly in August 2025 [4][5].

The bill, tabled by Ashish Sood, aims to address the legacy issue of continuously rising fees of private schools in Delhi. Sood gave historical references, discussing how the central government has resolved long-standing legacy issues over the decades, such as the Ram Mandir, Chenab Bridge, Article 370, and the electrification of every village [2]. The proposed law aims to regulate arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital, providing relief to lakhs of students and their families.

The session will continue until August 8, and may be extended if necessary. Ashish Sood clarified that the legislation seeking to end the commercialisation of education and regulate arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital is a response to this long-standing issue. Sood emphasized that the aim of education should not be 'earning', but rather 'learning' and nation-building [6].

The decision-making process for school fees will now include the principal or head of the school, one person from the management, three teachers, and five parents, including SC/ST, OBC, and women [7]. The Delhi government is focused on resolving the capital's old and complex issues, one of the most important being the continuously rising fees of private schools [8]. The Delhi government is making a small effort to honor Dr. Mukherjee's vision by ensuring that education does not become a burden on the people of India, but instead becomes a path leading them to a better future [9].

Sood stated that education is a "sacred duty -- a duty we must fulfil for the progress and prosperity of our motherland" [10]. He also emphasized that the aim of education should not be 'earning', but rather 'learning' and nation-building [11]. However, in his speech, he did not repeat the statement that education is a "sacred duty -- a duty we must fulfil for the progress and prosperity of our motherland."

References:

1. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill
2. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill to check arbitrary hikes
3. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill to bring transparency
4. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill to bring transparency
5. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill with amendments rejected by AAP government
6. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill
7. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill
8. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill
9. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill
10. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill
11. Delhi Assembly passes school fees regulation bill

In the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation, the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, is set to reform education-and-self-development by addressing the issue of un checked fee increases in Delhi's schools. This bill, designed to promote learning, aims to ensure fairness and accountability, moving beyond the reactive and limited framework of the past.

Meanwhile, under this new transparency policy, the decision-making process for school fees will involve representatives from schools, teachers, and parents alike. This proactive approach to learning and nation-building is a step towards honoring the vision of general-news figures of the past, aimed at ensuring education remains accessible andaffordable for all.

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