Private schools in Delhi to form fee fixation committees by Jan 10: Education Minister Sood

New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) All schools in the national capital will have to constitute school-level fee fixation committees by January 10, under a new law aimed at ensuring transparency in fee determination, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, Sood said the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, has been enacted under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and will function alongside the existing the Delhi School Education Act and Rules of 1973.

He said the Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued detailed directions for the formation of School Level Fee Fixation Committees (SLFFC) and District Level Fee Appellate Committees (DLFAC) after the framing of rules under the new legislation. These provisions will be binding on schools starting from the 2025-26 academic session.

As per the guidelines, every school will have to form an 11-member SLFFC comprising representatives of the school management, the principal, teachers and parents. The committee will examine and submit proposals related to school fees, including fee hikes already implemented by some schools in the current academic year, he said.

Sood said schools will have to submit their fee proposals to the committee by January 25. The SLFFC is required to take a decision within 30 days. If it fails to do so, the matter will automatically be referred to the District Level Fee Appellate Committee for review.

The minister said the new law aims to ensure fairness, accountability and equal opportunities for students, while preventing what he described as "arbitrary fee hikes," a long-standing concern among parents.

He added that the education department has laid down norms for disclosures and compliance related to the 2025-26 fee proposals. Details regarding a state-level committee will be notified separately.

Sood described the move as a significant step in Delhi's education reforms, saying the government remains committed to the emotional, physical, financial, and mental well-being of children. PTI SHB AKY