Education Policy Reforms in India: Delhi’s Fee Regulation Act
- Feb. 28, 2026, 6:40 p.m.
The Delhi government communicated with the SC (Supreme Court) on Monday (2.2.2026) that it will carry out the law governing private school fees from the 2026–27 academic session, instead of the ongoing 2025–26 session. The submission came during a hearing on a batch of petitions filed by private school groups that challenged the Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees Act, 2025, for Delhi School Education, before the Delhi HC (High Court).
All 1,700 private schools in the capital must get the prior govt. approval before raising fees under the Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees Bill, 2025, for the Delhi School Education. The SC mentioned that enforcing the law during the current academic session would be “feasible” and asked the Delhi govt. to consider postponing its rollout to April 2026, earlier on 19.1.2026.
The SC cleared up today that its main concern was the urgency of the bill's execution. Since the government of the state affirmed that it would pass the bill in the next academic session, the court dismissed the plea, but the Delhi HC will continue to hear petitions filed by private schools.
Only 300 Schools are covered by the earlier fee regulations
Leaving most private schools outside the fee regulation model, old rules under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, are applied to 300 schools only. Parents have expressed worries about sudden fee hikes enforced by private schools over the years. The new Act covers fee regulation for all 1,700 private schools in Delhi, assures that all fee raise follows an open procedure and closes old loopholes.
Rules Under the Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees Act, 2025
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- Authorities will enforce penalties from 1 to 5 lakh rupees for first-time unauthorised fee hikes.
- Schools must not raise the fees without government permission.
- Repeated violations may be charged fines of up to 10 lakh rupees.
- Authorities may ban repeated offenders from future fee hikes.
- Penalties will be charged based on the delays and will continue to increase with further delays if schools fail to refund excess fees within the specified timeline.
How Will Fee Hike Decisions Be Taken?
The Act brings in a multi-stage commission system that includes government officials, teachers, parents, and school management.
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- School-level committees must determine on fee proposals by July 15 every year.
- District-level reviews must conclude by July 30.
- Authorities must provide conclusions by September.
- If stakeholders fail to resolve it within 45 days, they will refer the subject to the committee.
This structure aims to encourage decisions and allow parents' opinions in the fee fixation procedure.
