New Delhi: Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood today tabled the much-anticipated “Delhi School Education (Fee Determination and Transparency in Regulation) Bill, 2025” in the Legislative Assembly, calling it a historic step to protect parents and students from unregulated fee hikes by private schools in the capital.
“This bill is not just a policy—it is a promise to lakhs of parents and crores of students. Education is a sacred responsibility, not a money-making business,” Sood said in his address.
He emphasized that the primary purpose of education should be learning and nation-building, not profiteering, adding that this bill is a tribute to Dr. Mukherjee’s vision and a commitment to making education affordable and accessible in Delhi.
Legacy Problem, Long Ignored
Calling the unchecked rise in private school fees a legacy issue, Sood compared it with national challenges like the Ram Mandir, Chenab Bridge, and Article 370—all resolved by the central government after decades. “Now, the Delhi government too is working to resolve long-pending issues, and school fee regulation is among the most urgent,” he said.
He slammed previous governments for turning a blind eye to the problem. “They either feared or colluded with education mafias. No audits, no records—everything was done on an ad hoc basis,” Sood alleged.
Key Provisions of the Fee Regulation Bill
The Delhi Fee Regulation Bill 2025 applies to all private unaided recognized schools in the city. Key highlights include:
- Schools must submit proposed fees for three years in advance.
- Fee revisions will be allowed only once in three years.
- A three-tier grievance redressal system will be established at the school, district, and state levels.
- Fee setting will consider infrastructure, staff salaries, and inflation, but will prohibit excess profiteering.
- Schools must publicly disclose financial records and proposed fees.
- Violations can result in fines ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh, which may be doubled or tripled for repeat offenses.
- Penalty of ₹50,000 per student for name-cutting or humiliation.
- Repeated violations can lead to de-recognition or government takeover of the school.
- During disputes, schools will be allowed to charge only the previous year’s approved fees.
Parents at the Centre of Reform
“This is a bottom-up reform, giving parents a direct role in decisions that affect their children. For the first time, governance is truly ‘of the people, by the people, for the people’,” Sood said.
He criticized the AAP government for building only 20 new schools during its tenure and claimed approvals for most schools were done by earlier administrations.
Sood concluded that the bill not only builds transparency and accountability but also protects the interests of parents, students, and schools alike, creating a balanced and just education ecosystem for Delhi’s future.
