New Delhi, Feb. 2 -- In a historic move aimed at protecting parents from arbitrary fee hikes, the Delhi government has issued a detailed Gazette notification to address practical hurdles in implementing the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, effectively freezing school fees for the academic year 2025-26 and laying down a clear roadmap for fee fixation from 2026-27 onwards. The government clarified on Monday that the law will not apply to the ongoing 2025-26 session and will be implemented only from the next academic year.
The move comes amid judicial scrutiny by the Supreme Court, which had raised concerns over the timing and structure of the new fee regulation framework.
Reacting to the development, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said the notification reflects "the victory of political will" and is aimed squarely at protecting public interest. Speaking to Millennium Post, he said, "After the 2024 case, we were left with two choices, either to keep running from court to court or bring a firm law in the interest of the public. We chose what was best for the people of Delhi." He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party was attempting to undermine the move," adding that the decision marks "a clear win for the people of Delhi."
The notification, titled Delhi School Education (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2026, was issued on February 1 under Section 21 of the Act, which empowers the government to remove difficulties in implementation during the initial years. The government explained that the Act could not be enforced as originally planned for the 2025-26 academic year because it came into force only on December 10, 2025, long after schools had already fixed their fees for the session.
Under the Act, schools were required to constitute School-Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) by July 15 of an academic year, a timeline that was impossible to meet for 2025-26. The new order addresses this mismatch and ensures that the law is implemented in a practical and legally sound manner.
As per the notification, every school must constitute an SLFRC within 10 days of the publication of the order. Committees already formed under the December 24, 2025 order will be treated as valid. Once constituted, school managements must submit their proposed fee structure for the next block of three academic years, starting from 2026-27, within 14 days. The SLFRC will then proceed to fix the fees in accordance with the Act and Rules.
The Director of Education has also been directed to set up District Fee Appellate Committees (DFACs) in each education district within 30 days. These bodies will hear appeals from parents and schools regarding fee fixation.
Crucially, the order provides immediate relief to parents by freezing school fees for the current academic year. It clearly states that "till the fee is fixed for the next block of three years, the schools shall not charge any fees over and above the fee already being charged with effect from 01.04.2025." In effect, no fresh fee hike is permitted for 2025-26.
The notification further clarifies that any exorbitant fee charged by schools during 2025-26 will be regulated in accordance with the law, subject to the final outcome of cases pending before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. This means that fee increases already imposed are not automatically protected and may be scrutinised later.
Addressing concerns over gaps between fee cycles, the order states that once a three-year fee block expires, schools cannot increase fees beyond the amount fixed for the last year of that block until the next block is approved. Any excess fee collected during this interim period will have to be adjusted against the newly fixed fees, preventing schools from imposing temporary hikes.
Explaining the intent behind the order, Education Minister Ashish Sood told that the notification was "designed primarily to protect parents' interests." He pointed out that the legislation permits advance fixation of fees for a three-year academic cycle, he said "this would shield parents from ongoing ambiguity and help prevent unreasonable and arbitrary increases in school fees."
The Supreme Court had earlier questioned the government's "rushed implementation" of the law while hearing petitions filed by private schools, which had flagged concerns over timelines and administrative challenges. The Delhi government maintains that the 'Removal of Difficulties' order strikes a balance between judicial concerns, administrative feasibility and parental interests.
By setting clear timelines, freezing current fees and strengthening appellate mechanisms, the government says the order ensures smoother implementation of the fee regulation law while keeping students and parents at the centre of the process.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.