Delhi govt mandates fee regulation committees for private schools by Jan 10

New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The Delhi government on Wednesday directed all private schools in the national capital to constitute School Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) by January 10, 2026.

The move marks the implementation of a new law to regulate and bring transparency to the fixation of private school fees from the current academic session.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said that the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, and its subsequent rules have come into force. The Act will be implemented through a two-tier mechanism comprising school-level committees and district-level appellate bodies.

"The government believes in a balanced solution in the interest of every child. Politics of confrontation is not our policy," Sood said during a press conference here.

The minister said the law serves as a supplementary measure to the Delhi School Education Act, 1973. Its primary objectives are to ensure transparency, accountability and time-bound decisions in fee fixation, while safeguarding interests of parents.

Under the new framework, every private school will have to constitute an SLFRC. This committee will include representatives from the school management, the principal, three teachers, five parents and one nominee from the Directorate of Education. Members would be selected through a lottery system in the presence of observers to maintain transparency, Sood said.

The minister said the SLFRC will examine fee proposals submitted by school managements and take a decision within 30 days. For the 2025-26 academic session, schools have been directed to place their fee structure before the committee by January 25. This replaces the previous practice of submitting proposals by April 1.

If the SLFRC fails to reach a decision within the 30-day window, the matter will be automatically referred to the District Level Fee Appellate Committee (DLFRC). This body has been empowered to adjudicate fee-related disputes and decide appeals, according to Education Department officials.

Minister Sood said the legislation is not intended to target private schools or teachers but to establish a transparent, predictable and rule-based system. He added that with around 38 lakh children enrolled in Delhi schools, the government considers every child "equally important".

The Education Department officials said the observer for the SLFRC will be the Directorate of Education nominee already appointed under the Delhi School Education Act and Rules, 1973.

In schools where no such nominee exists, the management has been directed to inform the concerned Deputy Director of Education within three working days so that an observer can be nominated.

Parent and teacher representatives selected through the draw of lots will be required to confirm their willingness to serve on the committee within three working days. Vacancies resulting from refusals or non-acceptance will be filled from a waiting list or through a fresh draw.

The department officials clarified that parents of students admitted under the EWS, DG or CWSN categories are ineligible to serve as parent representatives, as they are exempted from paying fees. Only one parent per family will be allowed to be part of the committee, they said.

Any delay in the constitution of SLFRCs, submission of fee proposals or disposal of proposals within the prescribed timelines will be treated as non-compliance and will invite action under the Act and the Rules following due process, they added. PTI SHB AKY