Delhi mandates school fee committees, curbs inflation-linked fee hikes

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood announced a new framework and said a School Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC) will be constituted in every private school.

Delhi private schools can no longer justify fee hikes solely based on inflation or rising costs, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said on Thursday. Announcing a new framework, Sood said a School Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC) will be constituted in every private school. The committee will determine school fees for the academic sessions 2026–27 through 2028–29. 

According to Sood, schools will now have to justify any proposed fee hike before the committee, and the process of determining school fees will now be more transparent and accountable. Sood added that parents will also be consulted before any fee hike, so that the interests of every family are safeguarded.

What is the new committee?

Delhi’s Directorate of Education (DoE) has directed all private schools to set up the School-Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRC) by July 15. Each committee should have five parent representatives, three teacher representatives, and members of the school management. 

Moreover, the DoE has also mandated annual Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), which will serve as the pool for parent representatives. It has further directed that all SLFRC committees must include at least two women and ensure representation from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or socially and educationally backward classes.

What are the parameters to revise the fee structure?

Under the new framework, any school seeking to revise its fee structure will have to place its proposal before the fee regulation committee and justify the increase on 18 parameters, which include:

1. Infrastructure development
2. Transportation facilities
3. School buildings
4. Safety measures
5. Lighting and utilities
6. Staff recruitment
7. Salaries and benefits
8. Classroom resources
9. Laboratory equipment
10. Library facilities
11. Sports infrastructure
12. Extracurricular activities
13. Digital learning tools
14. Maintenance and repairs
15. Health and sanitation measures
16. Administrative expenses
17. Training and professional development
18. Other institutional requirements

 

Schools seeking to revise fees will also have to cite the hike to genuine improvements in facilities or educational standards and support their claims with audited financial statements for the previous three years certified by a chartered accountant, reported India Today. 

The state government will ensure that quality education remains affordable and accessible, Sood said, adding, “Education is a noble service to society, not a commercial business.”