Page 18 - EW September 2025 Final

Education News

DELHI objections filed by Aggrieved Parents
New fees legislation Groups, the Management and the

Parents Teachers’ Associations on
the issue of fees set by SLFRCs. Even
further appeal may be made to a
Revision Committee, whose decision
will be conclusive and binding on the
parties for three academic years. The
Bill prohibits direct access to civil
courts. Complaints have to be adju-
dicated by exclusively district and
state-level Revision Committees.
“This law makes the educa-
tion system more transparent and
accountable by preventing uncon-
trolled fee increases in schools.
Information about this legislation
is being communicated to parents
so that they can be aware of their
rights and ensure that their children
receive quality education at reason-
able fees. Our aim is to regulate
fees (increases) rather than set any
Delhi private school students: final solution? Inset: Dr. Chandrakant Singh cap. After studying the existing
mechanisms to regulate fees in states
elhi state’s newly elected bjp private school before the start of the like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and
government’s Delhi School academic year. Maharashtra, we have formulated
DEducation (Transparency in Under a broad-based participa- this law,” said Ashish Sood, Delhi
Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, tory model, SLFRCs will comprise state education minister addressing
2025 passed by the legislative as- a school management representa- a Parents Town Hall organised on
sembly on August 8, is being widely tive as chairperson, school principal August 14.
proclaimed as the final solution to (secretary), three teachers (selected Unsurprisingly, private school
the issue of regulating private school by draw of lots), five parents (includ- managements aren’t jubilant about
fees in the national capital after de- ing two women, selected by draw this comprehensive fees regulation
cades of failed regulatory efforts. of lots), one SC/EBC community initiative. “Ninety-nine percent of
Building on years of incremental representative and one representa- Delhi’s private schools are small
reforms — from the Delhi School tive from the state government’s and medium budget schools whose
Education 1973 Act to nine reports Directorate of Education (DoE). fees aren’t at all comparable to the 1
of the Justice Anil Dev Singh Com- After formation of SLFRCs, the percent of high-end schools, most of
mittee (2009-2017) — the new law 13-member committee is obliged to which are sited on land grants from
introduces school-level commit- approve (or amend) the fee proposed DDA. Therefore our fees don’t need
tees for setting tuition fees covering by the management before August 31 regulation. Most of us don’t have the
all 1,700 private schools in Delhi. every year. time or resources to comply with the
Earlier, fees regulation efforts were S.8 of the Act helpfully provides committee norms prescribed by the
mainly confined to 300 unaided in- guidelines under which SLFRCs Act as we operate on thin margins.
dependent private schools sold land should deliberate and set private Now that the law applies equally
at concessional prices by the Delhi school fees. Among the factors: loca- to us, we are waiting for rules and
Development Authority (DDA). tion of school; infrastructure quality; watching how the scenario evolves
Under the new Act, school man- education standard of school; admin in the coming months,” says Dr.
agements are required to propose and maintenance expenditure; yearly Chandrakant Singh, National
fees chargeable for three years increments and “reasonable revenue General Secretary of Private Land
at a time. The proposal has to be surplus for the purpose as may be Public Schools Trust, a prominent
approved or amended by School- prescribed.” private schools advocacy organisa-
Level Fee Regulation Committees Under the Act, District Fee Ap- tion and Chairman, Ideal Radiant
(SLFRCs) to be constituted in every pellate Committees will adjudicate Public School, Delhi.

18 EDUCATIONWORLD SEPTEMBER 2025