"Delhi government delays school fee law implementation for current academic year."

Delhi Government Aounces Phase-Wise Rollout of New School Fee Law

The Delhi government has recently released a notification outlining the phased implementation of a new private school fee law and providing clarity on what schools can charge during the transitional period. This development comes as a relief to parents concerned about potential fee hikes and private schools seeking guidance on fee regulations.

The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, which was notified last December, will not be applicable for the ongoing 2025-26 academic year. The government has informed the Supreme Court that the law will be enforced from the next academic year onwards.

In a recent gazette notification titled Delhi School Education (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2026, the government has detailed the phased rollout of the law and provided revised deadlines for schools to transition to the new fee system. This move aims to address the challenges posed by the Act's original implementation timeline.

Under the new guidelines, school fees for the 2025-26 academic year will remain frozen, with schools only permitted to charge the fees in place as of April 1, 2025. Any excessive fee hikes introduced during this period will be regulated in accordance with the law, pending final decisions from the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood emphasized that the updated order prioritizes parents' interests by establishing School-Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) to ensure fee stability over the next three academic years. This proactive approach aims to prevent schools from imposing unreasonable fee increases.

The notification sets a clear timeline for private schools to form SLFRCs within 10 days and submit proposed fee structures for the upcoming three academic years starting from 2026-27 within 14 days. Additionally, district-level fee appellate committees will be established within 30 days to address fee disputes at a higher level.

The order also prohibits schools from raising fees beyond the levels set for the last year of a fee block during interim periods until the fees for the subsequent block are officially approved. This measure aims to prevent schools from exploiting gaps between fee cycles to implement unwarranted fee hikes.

Education activist Shikha Sharma Bagga emphasized the importance of safeguarding parents during this transitional phase, particularly in addressing fee-related disputes and ensuring immediate protection for families. Minister Sood reiterated that SLFRCs would play a pivotal role in resolving fee disputes and protecting parents' interests moving forward.

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