The Delhi government introduced a new bill this week aimed at controlling fee hikes in private unaided schools. Titled the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, it seeks to regulate how schools revise fees and introduce accountability in their operations. The bill triggered strong reactions from both the ruling and opposition benches during the Legislative Assembly’s session.
Education Minister Ashish Sood presented the bill as a move to stop the commercialization of education. He said the legislation would ensure that private schools no longer act like businesses, increasing fees without proper reason. According to him, the bill creates a transparent structure that involves parents, teachers, and school authorities in fee decisions.
He stressed that education is a public good, not a product to be sold for profit. The proposed bill would set up a three-level grievance system, require schools to publish financial records before raising fees, and penalize violations with heavy fines ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh. Repeated violations could even lead to the school losing its recognition.
The bill allows for the formation of fee regulation committees at the school level where parents will also be represented. It states that fee revisions can only be made once every three years unless exceptional circumstances apply. The aim is to empower parents so they are not just bystanders when decisions about fee hikes are made.
Opposition leader Atishi from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly opposed the bill, claiming it offers a legal route for schools to continue increasing fees. She alleged that the bill favours private schools and weakens parents’ ability to resist unfair charges. Her party demanded that the bill be sent to a Select Committee for detailed review and that all fee hikes be frozen at current levels until further action is taken.
AAP MLA Prem Chauhan also criticized the bill for requiring at least 15% of parents to back a complaint before it can be addressed. He pointed out that schools could continue increasing fees by up to 15% annually without direct government oversight.
BJP members, including MLA Satish Upadhyay, supported the bill and called it a long-overdue reform. They said the bill finally gives parents a voice in how school fees are decided. Supporters argued that earlier governments failed to protect parents from being overcharged and that this new law would bring long-term stability.
Parents across Delhi have shown mixed responses. While some welcomed the move for promising transparency and accountability, others felt the bill lacked clarity and didn’t go far enough to protect their rights. Protests by parents were seen outside the Assembly demanding stronger protection from sudden and steep fee increases.
Beyond the fee regulation bill, MLAs raised several local issues during the session. These included:
Complaints about the demolition of slums and lack of rehabilitation for affected families.
The poor condition of a hospital in Mustafabad, which remains damaged since the 2020 riots.
Problems related to waterlogging, drainage, stray animals, and delays in pensions for DTC employees.
A discussion on audit reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) was postponed to the next day.
Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta confirmed that all proposed amendments to the school fee bill will be taken up for discussion and voting. The final version of the bill will be decided based on whether lawmakers agree to send it to a Select Committee or proceed with immediate approval.
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