Delhi govt tables bill to regulate fee hikes by private schools in Assembly

new delhi: education minister ashish sood on monday tabled a bill to regulate fee hikes by private schools in delhi on the first day of the monsoon session of the assembly, claiming “threats” were issued to derail it.ahead of the introduction of the delhi school education transparency in fixation and regulation of fees bill, 2025, sood said rising private school fees was the “biggest legacy” issue the rekha gupta government sought to address.every year, parents were hit by arbitrary fee hikes, he said, adding that attempts were made to “scare us from tabling the bill in the assembly by the education mafia and those having nexus with it”.he said allegations were levelled against him and the chief minister to block the bill. “we decided to bring this bill despite the pressure and threat to stop it.”sood also slammed the previous aap government, accusing it of striking “underhanded deals” with private schools that hiked fees without fear.the bill, prepared with a top-to-bottom approach, was inspired by the concept of “government by the people for the people", he said.“this bill, after becoming law, will enhance transparency and stop malpractice through a strong regulatory mechanism involving committees at three levels and provisions of penalties and termination of recognition of schools on violations,” he said.it proposes fines of rs 1 lakh to rs 3 lakh on private unaided schools found arbitrarily increasing fees, rising to rs 10 lakh for repeat violations.three committees — at the school, district and state level — will decide fee hikes. their decisions will be binding for three years.each private unaided school, including those with indian and foreign curricula, minority-run schools and institutions on concessional land, will be required to form a school-level fee regulation committee by july 15 every academic year.leader of opposition atishi demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee before being considered in the house, and sought a freeze on fees at 2024-25 levels to prevent fresh hikes.