Fee Regulation Bill okayed; CM calls it ‘historic step’
New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday hailed the approval of the Delhi School Education (Fee Determination and Transparency Regulation) Act, 2025 as a “historic step” to protect parents from arbitrary school fee hikes and restore fairness in the education system. The law received the assent of Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena and has been officially notified by the government.
Calling the legislation a victory for lakhs of parents, Gupta said it would end the unchecked commercialisation of private schools. “For years, parents and students struggled with unpredictable and excessive fee increases. This Act establishes a strong, transparent, and participatory system for school fee regulation,” she said.
The law was passed by the Delhi Legislative Assembly on August 8. It mandates that schools cannot charge beyond the fees approved by their respective committees. Each school will now be required to set up a fee regulation committee that will include parents, teachers, school management representatives, women, and members from marginalised groups. Gupta stressed that the move empowers parents directly. “This Act prioritises the voices of parents,
giving them a significant role in fee-related decisions while protecting students from exploitation,” she said.
The Act introduces district-level grievance redressal mechanisms to handle complaints, with senior education officials overseeing the process. Appeals against these decisions will be examined by a higher review committee to ensure impartiality. Additionally, schools must publicly display the approved fee structure on notice boards and websites in multiple languages for transparency. To ease financial pressure, the law stipulates that fee structures will remain unchanged for three academic years. Strict penalties will be imposed on schools found charging unauthorised fees. The government noted that earlier, arbitrary fee hikes often ranged between 30 per cent and 45 per cent, with students facing humiliation, denial of report cards, or even being barred from classes during disputes. Gupta said the new framework puts an end to such practices. The CM further underlined that the Act is consistent with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. “This legislation strengthens trust between parents,
students, and schools, ensuring that education remains a right and an instrument of public welfare,” she said. Gupta also criticised past administrations for ignoring the issue. “Previous governments neglected this matter, leaving parents vulnerable to exploitation. This law finally puts fairness and accountability at the heart of education,” she added.
