Delhi Assembly Passes Private School Fee Regulation Bill Amid Fierce Debate and Parental Protests
Legislative Milestone Amid Public Outcry
On August 8, 2025, the Delhi Legislative Assembly passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, a landmark legislation aimed at regulating fee hikes in the city’s 1,677 private unaided schools (The Hindu, 2025). Introduced by Education Minister Ashish Sood during the Monsoon Session, the bill addresses long-standing grievances from parents about arbitrary fee increases, some as high as 30–45% for the 2025–26 academic year (Education Times, 2025). The four-hour debate, marked by heated exchanges between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), culminated in a voice vote approving the bill, despite AAP’s eight proposed amendments being rejected (The Indian Express, 2025).
The bill’s passage follows widespread parental protests, notably a large demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20, 2025, where parents demanded government intervention to curb exploitative fee structures (Education Times, 2025). The legislation, now awaiting Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena’s approval, is seen as a response to these demands but has sparked concerns about its efficacy and fairness among stakeholders.
Comprehensive Provisions of the Bill
The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, introduces a multi-tiered regulatory framework to ensure transparency and accountability in private school fee structures. Its key provisions address the core issues raised by parents while balancing school autonomy:
- Three-Tier Regulatory Committees: The bill establishes school-level, district-level, and state-level committees comprising parents, teachers, management, and government nominees to review and approve fee hikes. These committees aim to ensure participatory decision-making (Hindustan Times, 2025).
- Mandatory Prior Approval: Schools must obtain approval from the regulatory body for any fee increase, with detailed disclosure of all charges, including tuition, transport, and additional fees, to prevent hidden costs (Education Times, 2025).
- Grievance Redressal Mechanism: A minimum of 15% of parents from a school must collectively file complaints to escalate fee disputes to the district committee, a threshold criticized for being too high (The Hindu, 2025).
- Stringent Penalties: Non-compliance with fee regulations incurs fines of ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh for the first offense, escalating to ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh for subsequent violations. Persistent non-compliance may lead to school de-recognition or government takeover (Times of India, 2025).
- Protection Against Harassment: Schools face a ₹50,000 fine per student for harassment or denial of admission due to fee disputes, safeguarding students from punitive actions (Hindustan Times, 2025).
- Transparency in Fee Disclosure: Schools must publish detailed fee structures, including justifications for increases, on their websites and submit them to the government for scrutiny (The Economic Times, 2025).
These measures aim to curb the practice of schools charging exorbitant fees under various pretexts, such as development or infrastructure costs, which have been a focal point of parental complaints (Curriculum Magazine, 2025).
Political Dynamics and Contentious Debate
The bill’s passage was marked by a polarized debate reflecting deep political divisions. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, leading the BJP government, described the legislation as a “landmark step” to end a “52-year exile for parents” burdened by unchecked fee hikes (The Indian Express, 2025). She emphasized the bill’s role in transforming schools into “temples of education” rather than commercial entities:
Education Minister Ashish Sood, who tabled the bill, claimed it dismantles the “education mafia” and revealed receiving threats during its drafting, highlighting the contentious nature of regulating private schools (The Economic Times, 2025).
In contrast, AAP’s Leader of Opposition, Atishi, fiercely criticized the bill, arguing it favors private school managements over parents. She highlighted two major flaws: the 15% parent threshold for filing complaints, which she deemed impractical for smaller schools, and a clause preventing parents from seeking judicial redress, limiting their legal recourse (The Hindu, 2025). AAP proposed eight amendments, including reducing the complaint threshold to 15 parents and restoring judicial access, but all were rejected by the BJP-majority Assembly, prompting an AAP walkout during the voice vote (Hindustan Times, 2025).
The debate also saw personal accusations, with Sood alleging that AAP’s opposition stemmed from their failure to regulate fees during their 2015–2023 tenure, while Atishi accused the BJP of rushing the bill without adequate consultation (Curriculum Magazine, 2025).
Historical Context and Parental Advocacy
The bill addresses a decades-long issue in Delhi, where private schools have faced accusations of profiteering through unjustified fee hikes. The 2015 AAP government had introduced measures allowing individual parental complaints and mandatory financial audits, which were repealed by the BJP government in 2024, citing administrative inefficiencies (Curriculum Magazine, 2025). The absence of audits in the new bill has raised concerns among parent groups, who argue that without financial oversight, schools may manipulate accounts to justify fee increases (The Hindu, 2025).
Parental advocacy has been a driving force behind the legislation. Protests, such as the July 20, 2025, Jantar Mantar demonstration, highlighted cases of schools charging additional fees for extracurricular activities or infrastructure without transparency (Education Times, 2025). Parents like Anjali Sharma, a member of the Delhi Parents’ Association, expressed relief at the bill’s passage but cautioned that its success depends on effective implementation (Times of India, 2025).
Stakeholder Reactions and Implementation Challenges
Reactions to the bill are mixed. Hundreds of parents gathered outside the Assembly on August 8, 2025, to thank Chief Minister Gupta, calling the legislation a “game-changer” for affordability in private education (Times of India, 2025). However, parent associations and education experts have raised concerns about the 15% complaint threshold, which could exclude smaller schools with fewer than 100 students, and the lack of mandatory audits, which were a cornerstone of earlier regulations (Curriculum Magazine, 2025).
Private school managements, represented by groups like the National Independent Schools Alliance, argue that the bill’s stringent penalties could deter legitimate fee adjustments needed for quality education, potentially affecting teacher salaries and infrastructure upgrades (Hindustan Times, 2025). They also expressed concerns about government overreach through the threat of de-recognition or takeover.
Implementation challenges include forming and operationalizing the three-tier committees, ensuring unbiased representation, and training officials to handle disputes efficiently. The bill’s reliance on parental consensus for complaints may also discourage individual grievances, potentially undermining its effectiveness (The Hindu, 2025).
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
The bill represents a significant step toward regulating Delhi’s private education sector, which educates nearly 40% of the city’s students. It aligns with broader national debates on balancing educational quality with affordability, as seen in similar regulations in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka (The Economic Times, 2025). However, its success hinges on the government’s ability to address implementation gaps and stakeholder concerns.
The legislation could set a precedent for other states grappling with similar issues, but critics warn that without robust enforcement and financial audits, schools may find loopholes to circumvent regulations. The bill’s passage also intensifies the political rivalry between BJP and AAP, with education remaining a contentious issue ahead of future elections (The Indian Express, 2025).
As the bill awaits Lieutenant Governor approval, all eyes are on its rollout, expected to begin in the 2026–27 academic year. The government has promised to establish a dedicated helpline and online portal for parents to report violations, signaling a commitment to transparency (Times of India, 2025). However, the true test will be whether the bill delivers on its promise to make private education more equitable without compromising quality.
References
Curriculum Magazine. (2025, August 5). Delhi Govt’s Bill to Regulate School Fees introduced in Assembly, Critics warn of limited Parent Voice. curriculum-magazine.com.
Education Times. (2025, August 9). Delhi Assembly passes Bill to regulate fee hikes in private schools, enforces strict penalties. www.educationtimes.com.
Hindustan Times. (2025, August 9). Assembly passes Bill to rein in arbitrary fee hikes by private schools. www.hindustantimes.com.
The Economic Times. (2025, August 5). Delhi govt tables bill to regulate fee hikes by private schools in Assembly. economictimes.indiatimes.com.
The Hindu. (2025, August 9). Assembly passes private school fee regulation Bill amid heated debate. www.thehindu.com.
The Indian Express. (2025, August 9). Monsoon Session of the Assembly: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate. indianexpress.com.
Times of India. (2025, August 8). Delhi assembly passes bill to regulate private school fees and increase transparency. timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
