Parents have veto power in new School Fee Act, says minister

Schools will have to disclose detailed information on location, facilities, expenses, and quality of teaching before proposing any change in fee, says education minister Ashish Sood

Delhi education minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday held an interactive session with law students at Delhi University’s Law Centre-2 to explain the provisions of the recently enacted Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025.

Education minister Ashish Sood said schools found increasing fees without approval can be fined between ₹50,000 and ₹2 lakh per student, with the penalty doubling every 20 days until compliance. (HT Archive)

Sood said the law expands the regulatory framework to cover all 1,700 private schools in the Capital, compared to the earlier rules that applied to only 300 institutions. “There is now a cap on fee hike, three-tier committees will be formed for a transparent process, and parents will have veto power,” he told students.

Explaining the new three-tier fee regulation system, the minister said grievances will first be addressed at the school level, with appeals moving up to a state-level committee. “The decision of the state-level committee will be binding on schools. All decisions will be taken by consensus, not majority vote,” he said. Once fixed, the fee structure will remain valid for three years, which Sood said would ensure financial and emotional stability for parents.

Outlining the key objectives of the Act—transparency in fee determination, parent participation, and veto power for parents on fee hikes—Sood said schools will no longer be able to raise fees arbitrarily. “Schools will have to disclose detailed information on location, facilities, expenses, and quality of teaching before proposing any change,” he said.

The law also introduces strict penalties for violations. Schools found increasing fees without approval can be fined between ₹50,000 and ₹2 lakh per student, with the penalty doubling every 20 days until compliance, Sood said.

Taking aim at the Aam Aadmi Party, the minister added, “The AAP government boasted of an education revolution but stood exposed for corruption in the education sector.”