In a significant move aimed at protecting families from steep school fee increases, the Punjab government has brought into force the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, after receiving the Governor’s assent.
The new framework caps annual fee hikes by private unaided schools at 5% unless prior approval is obtained from the competent regulatory authority.
Announcing the implementation on July 13, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said nearly 7,800 private schools, with more than 32 lakh students, would come under the regulatory framework. Schools have also been directed to submit details of fees collected during the previous four years on a designated portal within 10 days.
ਮਾਨਯੋਗ ਗਵਰਨਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਾ ਤਹਿ ਦਿਲੋਂ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਮਾਪਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਏ ਸਾਡੇ ਵੱਡੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ 'ਤੇ ਮੋਹਰ ਲਗਾ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੈ…
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 13, 2026
ਪ੍ਰਾਈਵੇਟ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਫੀਸਾਂ ਦੀ ਲੁੱਟ ਨੂੰ ਨੱਥ ਪਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਸਾਡੀ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਲਿਆਂਦੇ ਗਏ “The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Education Institutions… pic.twitter.com/cDNiufndYt
Tighter Scrutiny of Fees
Under the amended regulatory framework, private unaided schools in Punjab will not be permitted to increase annual fees and associated charges by more than 5% in an academic year without obtaining prior approval. A District Regulatory Committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner will examine proposals for fee hikes beyond the prescribed limit, according to the state government’s announcement.
The ordinance seeks to address one of the most persistent concerns raised by parents of children studying in private schools: unpredictable increases in education expenses. For many families, the financial burden of schooling extends far beyond the tuition fee printed in an admission prospectus. Transport charges, building funds and other miscellaneous payments can add substantially to the total cost of a child’s education.
“Education is a noble and sacred endeavour. It is a public good, not a commercial enterprise to be exploited for profit,” Mann said while announcing the implementation of the ordinance publicly. The Chief Minister added that ensuring access to quality education for every student in Punjab remained a priority for his government.
The government has also proposed a forensic examination of fee records to determine how much schools have collected through different channels. According to Mann, schools must upload details of fees collected over the last four years within 10 days. Once the disclosure period is over, institutions found to have collected excess fees will have to return the amount to parents.
The penalties proposed under the ordinance are designed to make non-compliance costly. Schools violating the provisions can face a ₹50,000 fine for the first violation and ₹1 lakh for a second violation. A third violation could lead to cancellation of affiliation or derecognition, along with further action.
The government’s decision follows the Punjab Cabinet’s approval in June of an ordinance to amend the state’s existing fee regulation law. Punjab already had the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016, which was subsequently amended in 2019. The Mann government has argued that previous regulatory provisions were not enforced effectively enough to prevent excessive fee increases.
The Cost Of Learning
Punjab’s intervention is not an isolated debate. Across India, the cost of school education has become an important household concern, particularly as families increasingly rely on private institutions.
Research on India’s private school sector has estimated that private institutions serve around 12 crore students, accounting for nearly half of the country’s school-going population in 2020 itself. The same research indicates that a substantial section of private school students attend relatively low-fee institutions.
Therefore, it does not mean that every private school is an elite institution charging high fees. India’s private education sector is remarkably diverse. It includes premium urban schools with extensive facilities, long-established institutions, charitable schools and thousands of low-fee or “budget” private schools serving working-class and lower-middle-income communities.
This complexity is important when discussing fee regulation. A uniform perception of all private schools as highly profitable businesses risks overlooking smaller institutions that operate with narrow financial margins. At the same time, the absence of transparent fee structures can leave parents vulnerable to sudden increases and multiple charges that are difficult to challenge.
The policy question, therefore, is not simply whether private schools should be allowed to charge fees. It is about how those fees are determined, communicated and justified.
India’s Educational Landscape
The debate over private school fees is ultimately part of a much larger discussion about India’s education system.
Over the past several decades, India has made significant progress in expanding access to schooling. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, established free and compulsory education as a legal entitlement for children aged six to 14. Government programmes have expanded school infrastructure, enrolment and basic facilities across the country.
Recent education data also point to areas of progress. UDISE+ figures for 2025-26, released by the Union Ministry of Education, showed a fall in school dropout rates and teacher strength crossing the one-crore mark nationally.
Yet access to a classroom does not automatically guarantee equal educational opportunity.
Digital access has added another dimension to education. Technology can expand learning opportunities, but access to devices, stable internet, and digital support varies considerably among households and schools.
Then there is the challenge of learning outcomes. A school system cannot be assessed only through enrolment numbers, buildings or examination results. The central question is whether children are developing foundational literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and the ability to participate confidently in society.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Education is not merely a service purchased by a family; it is one of the foundations on which a fair society is built. A child’s opportunity to learn, dream and build a secure future should not depend entirely on the ability of parents to absorb unpredictable financial demands.
The Punjab government’s decision to cap annual private school fee increases at 5% reflects a genuine concern shared by families across India. Transparent fee structures, clear grievance mechanisms and protection against arbitrary charges are necessary when parents and schools do not possess equal bargaining power.
However, meaningful education reform requires more than controlling prices.
Punjab’s ordinance may become an important test of whether fee regulation can balance affordability with institutional sustainability. Its success will depend not simply on the 5% figure, but on transparent implementation, timely refunds, fair hearings for schools and the willingness of authorities to enforce the law consistently.
Education policy should bring parents, teachers, schools and governments into a shared conversation centred on the wellbeing of children.
Private schools are an important part of India’s education system and serve millions of children across income groups. Dialogue, financial transparency and evidence-based regulatory decisions are more sustainable than treating every institution with suspicion.
ਅਹਿਮ ਮੁੱਦੇ 'ਤੇ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਤੋਂ LIVE —— अहम मुद्दे पर चंडीगढ़ से LIVE https://t.co/KdLHdZK5i3
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 13, 2026
