Delhi Government Issues Gazette Notification to Ease Rollout of School Fee Regulation Law

The Delhi government has issued a Gazette notification to ease the rollout of its new school fee regulation law after the Supreme Court raised questions over its implementation. According to the notification released on Sunday, all schools in the capital have been directed to form a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC) within 10 days of the order being published. Schools that had already set up such committees under an earlier notification will not need to reconstitute them, as those panels will remain valid under the revised framework. Once the SLFRC is formed, school managements will have 14 days to submit details of their proposed fee structure for the next three academic years starting from 2026–27. The committee will then examine the proposal and fix the fees as per the provisions of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act. The notification also directs the Director of Education (DoE) to set up District Fee Appellate Committees (DFACs) in every education district within 30 days. These panels will hear appeals related to disputes over fee fixation. The government clarified that the revised timelines are being applied only for the immediate upcoming block of three academic years beginning 2026–27. For all future fee cycles, the strict timelines prescribed under the Act and its Rules will be followed. In a key interim relief for parents, the notification said schools will not be allowed to charge any fee higher than what was being collected as of April 1, 2025, until the new fee structure for the next block is finalised. It further stated that any exorbitant fee charged by schools during the 2025–26 academic year 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. Addressing the gap between two fee cycles, the Gazette clarified that once a three-year fee block ends, schools cannot increase fees beyond the last approved amount until the fees for the next block receive official approval. Any excess amount collected during this interim period will have to be adjusted later. ALSO READ: Class 10 Syllabus Cut Won’t Remove Core Content, Says Kerala Education Minister The move comes amid ongoing scrutiny by the Supreme Court, which is examining the validity of the Delhi government’s fee regulation framework. The apex court has sought clarity on several aspects of the law, including the composition of committees and safeguards against arbitrary fee hikes. It has also taken note of concerns raised by private schools regarding timelines and administrative challenges in implementing the Act. The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill was passed by the Delhi Assembly in 2025 with the aim of increasing transparency, ensuring parental participation in fee decisions, and preventing arbitrary fee increases by schools.