In a significant move to curb arbitrary fee increases, the Delhi government has issued a strict directive to all private schools in the capital. The Directorate of Education (DoE) has ordered these institutions to constitute School Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) by January 10, 2026. This action enforces the recently notified Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, aiming to bring transparency and parental oversight to the fee structure from the current academic session.
A Historic Step for Parental Representation
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood hailed the legislation as a "historic step" that supplements the Delhi School Education Act of 1973. The law is designed to safeguard parents' interests and eliminate arbitrariness in how schools set their fees. "Long pending questions such as 'what will happen to school fees this year' will now have a permanent solution," Sood stated. He emphasised that the law is not adversarial towards schools or teachers but aims to build a balanced and trustworthy system. This move comes after widespread protests by parents from top private schools earlier this year over unregulated fee hikes.
Composition and Function of the New Committees
The SLFRC will be a powerful body with representation from all stakeholders. Each committee will comprise the school management chairperson, the principal, three teachers, five parents, and one representative from the DoE. To ensure fairness, parent and teacher members will be selected through a public draw of lots conducted in the presence of observers. The DoE has explicitly barred school managements from influencing this lottery process.
A waiting list of 10 additional members must also be prepared as per the law. To prevent conflicts of interest, only one parent per family can serve, and parents of children admitted under fee-exempt categories like Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Disadvantaged Group (DG), and Children with Special Needs (CWSN) will not be eligible for committee membership.
Strict Timeline for the 2025-26 Academic Session
The DoE has laid down a clear, one-time operational timeline for the upcoming academic year. Schools must complete the draw of lots and publish the final list of SLFRC members by January 10, 2026. The date, time, and venue for the draw must be announced publicly at least seven days in advance via school notice boards and official websites.
Subsequently, schools must submit their fee proposals to the newly formed committee by January 25, 2026. The SLFRC is then mandated to review and decide on the proposal within 30 days. If the committee fails to reach a decision within this stipulated period, the matter will automatically be forwarded to a District Level Fee Appellate Committee for adjudication.
Ensuring Transparency and Redressal
DoE Director Veditha Reddy stated that the prescribed timeline is meant to ensure proper redressal and disposal of fee-related matters this year. The directions provide clarity and uniformity, offering both parents and schools a transparent mechanism to resolve issues without unnecessary delays. This two-tier system of school-level committees and district-level appellate bodies is expected to directly impact more than 1,500 private unaided recognised schools in Delhi, finally addressing a longstanding grievance of countless parents.
