Delhi hands parents the power to veto private school fee hikes

In a sweeping reform aimed at ending unchecked fee hikes, the Delhi government has brought every private school in the capital — nearly 1,700 institutions — under a new regulatory framework that gives parents a decisive say in how schools fix their fees.

Announcing the legislation on Independence Day at a “Parents’ Town Hall” in Janakpuri, Education Minister Ashish Sood said the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, would ensure fee systems are “transparent, accountable, and participatory.”

Until now, only 300 schools were bound by outdated rules dating back to 1973. “With this law, every private school in Delhi will come under regulation. Parents will no longer be silent sufferers,” Sood declared.

The law makes it mandatory for each school to form a fee committee comprising parents, teachers, management, and government representatives. Parents will wield veto power to block hikes they deem unreasonable. District panels will review decisions by July 30, with final approvals due by September. Appellate bodies will step in if schools or officials miss deadlines.

The legislation also comes with teeth: any school that raises fees without approval faces fines ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh, which will double if excess charges are not refunded.

Framing the reform as a pushback against the “commercialization of education,” Sood said successive governments had failed to protect families from arbitrary practices. “Many parents turned to private schools because of gaps in government institutions. With this law, we are ensuring fairness and accountability,” he added.

By extending regulation to every private school, Delhi has become one of the first cities in India to build a comprehensive oversight model—one that not only standardizes fees but, for the first time, puts parents at the center of decision-making in education.