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NEW DELHI: With the objective of bringing enhanced transparency, accountability and predictability to the fixation of fees in private schools, the Delhi Government has initiated the implementation of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, along with the rules framed under it, beginning from the academic session 2025–26.
The decision has been taken against the backdrop of repeated complaints from parents regarding arbitrary fee hikes and the absence of clarity in the fee structures of private schools. The government said the new directions are intended to formally involve parents in the fee-fixation process and to ensure that any revision of school fees is scrutinised in a transparent and time-bound manner.
In an order issued on December 24, the Directorate of Education (DoE) stated that every private school must constitute its School Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC) within 15 days from the date of issuance of the order, and in any case not later than January 10, 2026, in accordance with the provisions of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025 and the rules notified under it.
Announcing the rollout of the new law, Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood said the legislation represents a historic step towards safeguarding the interests of parents while simultaneously establishing a fair, transparent and rule-based framework for private schools. He said the Act has been framed as a supplementary measure to the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, with the clear intent of removing arbitrariness from the process of school fee determination.
Under the newly introduced mechanism, the constitution of two statutory bodies—the School Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC) and the District Level Fee Appellate Committee (DLFRC)—has been made compulsory for all private schools across the national capital. According to Sood, every private school is required to constitute its SLFRC by January 10, 2026.
The SLFRC will be chaired by a representative of the school management and will comprise the school principal, three teachers, five parents and one nominee of the Directorate of Education. The selection of members will be carried out through a lottery system, and independent observers will be appointed to oversee the process to ensure complete transparency and fairness.
The Education Minister said the primary responsibility of the SLFRC will be to examine the fee structure proposed by the school and arrive at a decision within a period of 30 days. As per the new law, schools are now required to place their proposed fee structure before the SLFRC by January 25, 2026, in place of the earlier deadline of April 1. In the event that the committee fails to reach a decision within the stipulated timeframe, the proposal will be automatically escalated to the District Level Fee Appellate Committee.
The DLFRC has been vested with the authority to adjudicate disputes related to school fees and to hear appeals, thereby providing parents with an independent, impartial and institutional forum for grievance redressal. Sood said the two-tier structure has been carefully designed to ensure that all decisions are taken within clearly defined timelines and strictly in accordance with the law, leaving no scope for discretionary or arbitrary actions.
Highlighting the government’s broader approach, the minister said the Delhi Government does not subscribe to a politics of confrontation between private and government schools, but instead believes in adopting practical, balanced and solution-oriented measures. With nearly 37–38 lakh children currently enrolled in schools across Delhi, he said the government considers the welfare of every child to be of equal importance.
“This law is neither anti-school nor anti-teacher,” Sood said, adding that its core objective is to establish a transparent, credible and balanced system that serves the interests of all stakeholders. He further noted that the new regulatory framework will also put an end to the annual uncertainty faced by parents over school fee revisions.
With the enforcement of the Act and the mandatory constitution of the SLFRCs and DLFRCs, Sood said Delhi’s school fee regulation mechanism is entering a new phase characterised by transparency, participation and time-bound decision-making. The government, he added, remains firmly committed to ensuring that parents are not subjected to exploitation under any circumstances, while also providing schools with a clear, predictable and rule-based framework for their smooth and efficient functioning.
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