Today, the Education Minister presented the historic “Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025” in the Delhi Assembly. In his statement, the minister said,
“Today, I have come here with a permanent solution to the problems faced by millions of parents and children in Delhi, and to a legacy issue that has been ignored for decades.” He stated that education is “a sacred duty тАФ a duty we must fulfill for the progress and prosperity of our motherland.” He emphasized that the aim of education should not be тАШearningтАЩ, but rather тАШlearningтАЩ and nation-building.
The minister said, “This bill is a small effort on our part тАФ to honour Dr. Mukherjee’s vision and to ensure that education does not become a burden on the people of India, but instead becomes a path leading them to a better future.”
Giving historical references, he discussed how the central government has resolved long-standing legacy issues over the decadesтАФsuch as the Ram Mandir, Chenab Bridge, Article 370, and electrification of every village. He stated that the Delhi government is now also “focused on resolving the capital’s old and complex issues, one of the most important legacy issues being the continuously rising fees of private schools.”
The minister clarified, “This is not a recent problem, but a question that has troubled Delhi’s parents for many decades.” He mentioned the declining quality of the government education system over the past years, the significant shortage of schools, and how increasing private school fees have caused financial and mental difficulties for parents.
Taking a jab at previous governments, he said, “Earlier governments repeatedly issued only namesake orders тАФ but they either feared or colluded with education mafiasтАж There were neither audits nor records; everything was run on an ad-hoc basis.”
He stated that during its tenure, the (AAP) government built only 20 new schools, while approvals for other schools were granted during previous administrations.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
This bill applies to all private unaided recognized schools in Delhi.
Every school must submit its proposed fees for three years in advance; revision is permitted only once in three years.
There will be a three-tier regulation and appeal committee system тАФ at the school, district, and state levels.
Criteria for fee determination: infrastructure, staff salaries, annual increases, but mandatory prevention of profiteering.
All schools must publicly disclose financial records and proposed fees.
Unlawful fee hikes will attract fines between тВ╣100,000 and тВ╣1,000,000; repeated offenses will double or triple the penalty. Expelling or humiliating a student for this тАУ тВ╣50,000 per student.
Repeated violations may result in cancellation of the school’s recognition or even government takeover.
If a dispute is pending, the school can only collect fees at the previous year’s rate.
The minister stated, “This Bill not only creates a transparent and accountable system but also safeguards the interests of children, parents, and schools тАФ all stakeholders.”
Finally, “This bill follows truly a bottom-up approach, giving parents a role in the decision-making process for the first time. Presented with the ideaтАФ’Government of the people, by the people, for the people’.”
