Tamil Nadu assembly passes amendment to regulate private school fee

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has approved an amendment to the state law governing school fees, seeking to rein in arbitrary increases by private schools and ease the financial burden on parents.

The Tamil Nadu Schools Regulation of Collection of Fee Amendment Act, 2026, was passed on Jan 26 and is expected to come into force once the government notifies the implementation date.

The revised law introduces a structured mechanism to determine private school fees across the state.

Under the amendment, a seven-member committee led by a retired High Court judge will be formed to fix fee structures for private schools.

The fees determined by the panel will be binding on institutions and will remain in effect for three academic years.

The committee will include a representative from the State Parent Teachers Association, the Director of School Education, representatives from private schools and elementary education, a Joint Chief Engineer from the Public Works Department, and an officer from the School Education Department.

The government said the revised composition is intended to make the process more transparent and inclusive.

Officials said the fee fixation process will assess infrastructure costs, operational expenses, and concerns raised by parents to ensure that charges are reasonable and non-exploitative.

The amendment also introduces a fixed three-year cycle for fee determination, replacing the earlier practice of more frequent revisions.

The earlier Tamil Nadu Schools Regulation of Collection of Fee Act, 2009, allowed authorities to regulate school fees but did not formally include parent representation.

The latest amendment addresses this by mandating participation from the State Parent Teachers Association.

The government clarified that fee structures of CBSE and ICSE affiliated schools remain under judicial consideration, and any changes related to those boards will depend on the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings.