What is Delhi Education Bill? Key Provision and Features

The Delhi government presented the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 to the Assembly on August 5, 2025. In addition to ensuring openness in the operations of private, unaided schools, the legislation seeks to stop unreasonable tuition fee hikes. In addition to introducing a structured regulatory framework, the law has generated a great deal of discussion among opposition leaders, parents, and educators.

Key Objectives of the Bill

• To bring transparency and accountability in fee structures of private unaided schools.

• To prevent profiteering and commercialization of education.

• To involve parents in the decision-making process related to school fees.

Applicability and Scope

The bill applies to all private unaided recognised schools in Delhi, including those:

• Located on unapproved or private property, not previously protected by the Delhi School Education Act of 1973, and without getting any funding from the government.

Three-Tier Fee Regulation Framework

The bill proposes a three-level oversight structure to approve and monitor fee hikes:

1. School-Level Fee Committee

• Consists of school management, teachers, and five randomly selected parents.

• Approves annual fee hikes of up to 15%, subject to proper justification.
  

2. Zonal Fee Appellate Committee
   

• Headed by a Deputy Director of Education.

• Includes CAs, educationists, and parent representatives.

• Handles appeals and disputes arising at the school level.
  

3. State-Level Revision Committee

• Chaired by an eminent educationist.

• Reviews complex or high-level appeals.

• Decisions are binding and valid for three years.

Fee Fixation and Transparency Provisions

• Schools must submit a three-year fee proposal with supporting documents.

• Fee hike proposals must disclose:

• Expenditure, infrastructure costs, and revenue.

• Staff salaries, student-teacher ratio, and audit reports.

• Unaudited increases are prohibited unless approved by the fee committees.

Penalties for Violations

The bill proposes stringent penalties for non-compliance:

• First-time violators may be fined between ₹1 lakh and ₹5 lakh.

• Fines for repeat offenses range from ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh.

• The penalties double every 20 days if refunds are not given out right away.

• Schools may be subject to government takeover, de-recognition, or disqualification.

• In the event of harassment or refusal of admission because of fee problems, each student faces a fine of ₹50,000.

Criticism and Opposition

• Parents and opposition leaders have called for the bill to be referred to a Select Committee for examination.

• There has been a lot of opposition to the lack of a reversal clause for the previously raised 2024–25 rates.

• In large schools, it is seen to be unrealistic to require 15% of parents to jointly register a complaint.

• The removal of audit certification as a requirement has drawn criticism since some believe it creates opportunities for manipulation.

Support for the Bill

• According to the Delhi administration, the measure is an essential change that would hold schools accountable.

• Proponents claim that the measure encourages openness, parental involvement, and a standardized regulatory process.

• "The bill will provide much-needed clarity and protection to parents facing unjustified fee hikes," said Education Minister Ashish Sood.

Regulating private school fees in the capital is made possible in large part by the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. It prevents abuse by introducing structured control and punishments, but its implementation and certain of its provisions—particularly the school-level approval of the 15% hike—remain controversial. In the end, its success will rely on responsible government, parental empowerment, and transparent implementation.