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down several sections of the Act as unconstitutional. cational Institutions Act, 2016 permits private unaided
Kerala. The Kerala Education Act, 1958 and Kerala Educa- schools to increase fees by a maximum of 8 percent annu-
tion Rules, 1959 empower the government to regulate fees ally. Any increase beyond this limit requires prior approval
charged by private schools to “prevent exploitation”. of the district regulatory body.
Madhya Pradesh. According to the Madhya Pradesh Private Rajasthan. Under the Rajasthan Schools (Regulation of Fee)
Schools (Fee and Related Matters Regulation) Act, 2020, Act, 2016, every private school in the state is obliged to
which came into effect in 2025, private unaided schools are constitute a School Level Fee Committee (SLFC) compris-
permitted to automatically raise fees by up to 10 percent ing representatives of the management, principal, teachers
annually. Beyond 10 percent, they must obtain approval and PTA. If the SLFC fails to agree on the fee, the matter
of a district-level fee regulation committee. is adjudicated by a Divisional Fee Regulatory Committee.
Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Educational Institutions Tamil Nadu. Under the The Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation
(Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011 requires every unaided pri- of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009, a district committee de-
vate school to constitute an executive committee compris- termines the maximum fee that can be charged by private
ing PTA members to approve the fee structure proposed unaided schools in every district for a period of three years.
by the school management. In instances of differences Telangana. The Telangana Private Schools and Junior Col-
between the committee and management, a Divisional leges Fee Regulatory and Monitoring Commission Draft
Fees Regulatory Committee (DFRC) is empowered to ad- Bill, 2025 proposes a biannual hike linked to the Consumer
judicate. Price Index.
Manipur. The Manipur Private School (Registration and Uttar Pradesh. The UP Self-financed Independent Schools
Regulation) Act, 2017 empowers government to “regulate (Regulation of Fees) Act, 2018, permits a private unaided
the rates of fees, the levy, and collection of fees in private school “by itself” to increase fees annually for in-school
schools”. students, but the “fee increase shall not exceed latest
Meghalaya. The Meghalaya School Education Act, 1981 available yearly percentage increase in consumer price
mandates the managing committee of every recognised index + 5 percent of the fee realised from the student”.
private school to file with the appropriate authority a full New students admitted have to pay contracted fees with
statement of fees to be levied before the new academic annual increase as per the CPI + 5 percent formula.
year. Uttarakhand. The Uttarakhand School Education Act, 2006,
Nagaland. The Nagaland Board of School Education Act, prohibits private schools from accepting fees beyond the
1973 authorises the board to prescribe and regulate fees “rates” specified by the state government.
in all state board-affiliated schools. West Bengal. The TMC government hasn’t yet tabled the
Odisha. A Government Resolution issued by the state’s West Bengal Private Schools Regulatory Bill, 2022, in the
School and Mass Education Department in 1996 provides state legislature. The Bill proposes setting up a Commis-
for fee regulation of private schools. sion to determine the fees charged by private schools and
Punjab. The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Edu- hear complaints.

satisfactory, mutually beneficial fees
regulation agreements with private
school promoters. A model agreement
on this contentious issue has been ne-
gotiated between the incumbent BJP
government of Uttar Pradesh and pri-
vate schools in India’s most populous
state by ARISE (Association for Rein-
venting School Education), “an auton-
omous body that brings together some
of the country’s most progressive and
intellectual minds including school
promoters, edupreneurs & leaders
who remain committed and focused
on serving as a beacon for change
within the diverse and dynamic land-
scape of India’s school education sys-
tem.” Sunbeam Group chairman Deepak Madhok: successful regulation model

JUNE 2025 EDUCATIONWORLD 43