The Delhi High Court has refused to stay a notification mandating private schools to form fee regulation committees, while extending deadlines and seeking responses from authorities amid challenges to Delhi’s new school fee regulation law.

The Delhi High Court declined to halt the implementation of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, which requires private schools to set up School-Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs).

However, the court granted schools more time to comply, extending deadlines for forming committees and submitting fee proposals.

Issuing notices to the Directorate of Education (DoE) and the lieutenant governor, the court is examining petitions filed by private school bodies that allege excessive government interference, while parents’ groups have welcomed the move as a step towards transparency and accountability in school fee structures.

Court Grants Relief on Timelines, Not on Law

A bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, while hearing a clutch of petitions on Thursday, made it clear that the December 24, 2025 notification on fee regulation would remain in force for now.

The notification mandates all private unaided schools in Delhi to constitute School-Level Fee Regulation Committees, involving school management, teachers, and parent representatives, to scrutinise and approve proposed fee hikes.

Recognising concerns raised by schools regarding tight timelines, the court extended the deadline for forming SLFRCs from January 10 to January 20. Additionally, the date for submitting proposed fee structures to the committees has been moved from January 25 to February 5.

The bench noted that schools should not face adverse consequences for missing the earlier deadlines while the matter remains under judicial consideration.

At the same time, the court issued notices to the Directorate of Education and the lieutenant governor, seeking their responses to petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, the rules framed under it, and the recent notification enforcing the law at the school level.

Schools Cry ‘Overreach’, Parents Seek Transparency

Private school associations approaching the court have argued that the new law and its implementation mechanism infringe upon their autonomy.

They contend that the mandatory inclusion of parents in fee-setting committees amounts to undue state interference in the internal administration of private institutions, which they say are already grappling with rising operational costs, staff salaries, and infrastructure expenses.

Petitioners also raised concerns that the law could lead to delays and uncertainty in financial planning, potentially affecting the quality of education.

Some school representatives submitted that existing mechanisms under the Delhi School Education Act were sufficient to address grievances and that the new framework creates an additional bureaucratic layer.

In contrast, parents’ associations and education activists have largely welcomed the regulation. For years, parents in Delhi have complained of steep and unexplained fee hikes, alleging that some schools raise fees annually without transparency or consultation.

Many see the SLFRCs as a long-overdue step to ensure that fee increases are justified, documented, and fair.

A senior official from the Directorate of Education has previously stated that the law is intended “not to control schools, but to bring transparency and accountability into the fee fixation process,” adding that genuine costs incurred by schools would still be accommodated under the new system.

Background: The Road to the 2025 Fee Regulation Act

The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, was introduced following years of disputes between parents and private schools over fee hikes.

Multiple protests, legal battles, and audit demands had highlighted the absence of a uniform and transparent mechanism to regulate school fees in the capital.

Under the Act, each private unaided school is required to set up an SLFRC comprising school management representatives, teachers, and elected parent members. Any proposal to increase fees must be placed before this committee, which examines the school’s financial statements, expenditure, and justifications before granting approval.

The December 24, 2025 notification laid down specific timelines for the formation of these committees and the submission of fee proposals, triggering fresh opposition from private schools that claimed the deadlines were unrealistic and the law itself unconstitutional.

The current case before the Delhi High Court is expected to play a crucial role in determining how far the state can go in regulating private education.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

Education occupies a unique space in society-it is both a service and a shared responsibility. While private schools must remain financially viable to deliver quality education, parents deserve transparency, fairness, and a voice when costs rise sharply.

The Delhi High Court’s decision to avoid an immediate stay, while granting more time for compliance, reflects a balanced approach that prioritises dialogue over disruption.

Rather than viewing regulation as a threat, this moment offers an opportunity for schools, parents, and the government to rebuild trust through openness and cooperation.

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