Amid mounting outrage over arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital, Education Minister Ashish Sood introduced the “Delhi School Education (Fee Regulation & Transparency) Bill, 2025” in the Legislative Assembly, marking a major step toward reforming the city’s private education sector.
The Rekha Gupta-led government has positioned the bill as a decisive solution to an issue that has plagued Delhi’s parents for decades. “Education is a sacred duty and a responsibility we must uphold for the progress and prosperity of our nation,” Sood said, underlining the government’s intent to make the system transparent and accountable.
Key Provisions Of The Bill
The bill proposes sweeping reforms applicable to all private unaided recognised schools in Delhi, introducing several mandatory measures:
Advance Fee Disclosure: Schools must submit a 3-year proposed fee structure. Revisions will be permitted only once in three years.
Three-Tier Oversight: A regulatory and appeals system will function at the school, district, and state levels.
Fee Justification: Components like infrastructure costs, staff salaries, and annual increments will be considered for fee hikes. Profiteering is strictly prohibited.
Transparency: Schools must publicly disclose financial records and proposed fees.
Strict Penalties For Violations
The bill introduces tough penalties to deter exploitation:
Unauthorised Fee Hikes: Fines between ₹1 lakh and ₹10 lakh, with repeated violations attracting double or triple the penalties.
Student Harassment: If a child is harassed or expelled over fee issues, the school faces a fine of ₹50,000 per student.
Severe Action: Continued non-compliance can lead to cancellation of school recognition or government takeover.
Fee Disputes: During disputes, schools can only charge fees from the previous year.
“This Is About Nation-Building, Not Profit”, Ashish Sood made it clear that the aim of education is not commercial gain. “The purpose of education is not to generate profit, but to ensure learning and nation-building,” he said.
Drawing parallels with national milestones like the Ram Mandir, Article 370 abrogation, and rural electrification, Sood said the Delhi government is now addressing its own legacy issues—one of the most pressing being unchecked fee hikes.
Criticism Of Past Governments
Sood didn’t shy away from criticizing earlier administrations. He alleged that previous governments either feared or collaborated with the “education mafia.” “No audits were conducted, no records maintained—everything was running on an ad-hoc basis,” he said.
He also pointed out that the current AAP government has built only 20 new schools, with most of them approved during previous regimes, despite rising demand.
Sood described the bill as a “bottom-up approach” that gives parents a say in decisions that impact their children. “This is a real embodiment of ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people,’” he concluded.
The bill, if passed, could set a precedent for other states grappling with similar challenges in private education governance.
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