New Delhi: The Delhi Government on Thursday issued a strict directive to all private unaided schools to set up their School Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) by July 15.
This move follows the enactment of the landmark Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, which aims to ensure full accountability and absolute transparency in how school fees are determined across the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
According to a press release, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood emphasised that the state government is firmly committed to making quality education affordable and accessible.
"Education is a noble service to society, not a commercial business. We will not tolerate arbitrary fee hikes or hidden charges that put an unfair financial burden on parents," the minister stated.
"The new framework guarantees that every single rupee charged by schools is accounted for and justified," he added.
To ensure complete transparency, the selection of five parent representatives and three teacher representatives for the committee must happen through a public, video-recorded draw of lots.
Schools are required to give a mandatory seven-day public notice before conducting the draw, and a government-appointed observer will monitor the entire process independently.
To protect public interest and maintain absolute fairness, any school management found trying to influence this democratic draw or bypass the rules will face severe penalties. This includes heavy fines, suspension of school recognition, or a formal government takeover of the school's management, the release said.
School management must submit its three-year fee proposals to the committee by July 31. These proposals must be backed by three years of fully audited financial statements certified by a Chartered Accountant. Unaudited or self-certified files will be rejected immediately.
In compliance with the recent interim orders of the Delhi High Court, schools are strictly ordered to collect the same fees as the previous academic year (2025-26) until their new fee structures are officially vetted and approved by the regulatory committees, the release said.
Any excess fee collected during this interim period will be strictly subject to final judicial outcomes and will have to be refunded or adjusted.
The Directorate of Education (DoE) has instructed all regional directors and district officials to enforce these guidelines strictly.
The government has made it clear that public welfare, equity, and the academic future of Delhi's children remain its topmost priorities.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.