Don’t compel schools to form fee regulation panels till Feb 20: Delhi HC to govt as it extends deadline
As per the new law, private schools were given the deadline of February 10 to finalise the SLFRCs.
After the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act came into force on December 10 last year, the Delhi government on February 1 had issued a notification clarifying that the new law shall be implemented from the next academic year. (Representational image) The High Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to not compel schools till February 20 to form school-level fee regulation committees (SLFRCs) under the new fee fixation law. The court stated that no prejudice would be caused if the formation of the committees was deferred.
As per the new law, private schools were given the deadline of February 10 to finalise the SLFRCs. ASG S V Raju, appearing for the Delhi government, informed a division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela that nearly 80-90 per cent of schools have already formed the committees, while also submitting before the court that any further extension of time for constitution of SLFRCs will disrupt and delay the entire timeline for fixation of fee for academic year 2026-2027.
After the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act came into force on December 10 last year, the Delhi government on February 1 had issued a notification clarifying that the new law shall be implemented from the next academic year. By way of the gazette notification, the government had stipulated that the SLFRCs have to be constituted within 10 days of the notification, even though its decisions will not affect fees for 2025-26.
The court on Monday issued notice to the Delhi government on pleas by several associations of schools challenging the February 1 notification and reasoned that “no prejudice will be caused to either side, nor will it cause prejudice to the timeline for fixation of fee for academic year 2026-27” if more time is granted for formation of the committees. The matter will be next heard on February 20.
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