Delhi’s private-school fee system is entering a stricter phase for 2026-27, with parents getting a formal place in the process and schools facing tighter disclosure rules. The immediate update is the Delhi government’s tabling of the Delhi School Education (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2026 in the Assembly on August 7. The underlying fee law, however, is the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, which came into force on December 10, 2025. The 2026 order was gazetted on February 1 and sets transition timelines for the three-year block beginning in 2026-27.
What Delhi’s 2026-27 School Fee Rules Change
The official Removal of Difficulties Order says every covered school must constitute a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee, or SLFRC, within 10 days of the order’s publication. Once formed, management gets up to 14 days to submit its proposed fee for three academic years beginning 2026-27. The Directorate of Education must also constitute District Fee Appellate Committees for each education district.
Most importantly for families, the order says schools cannot charge above the fee already being collected from April 1, 2025 until the new three-year fee is fixed. Fees collected in an intervening period must later be adjusted against the approved amount.
Key Highlights
- Fee fixation moves to a committee-based process rather than management acting alone.
- Proposed fees cover a three-year block beginning with the 2026-27 academic session.
- Parents and teachers receive direct representation in each school-level fee committee.
- Schools must continue with the permitted earlier fee while a fresh decision remains pending.
- Non-compliance can lead to refunds, financial penalties and stronger regulatory action.
Parents can check the official Delhi Directorate of Education Acts and Rules page and the Delhi School Education Removal of Difficulties Order, 2026 for the notified framework.
How School-Level Fee Committees Will Decide The Amount
The SLFRC is meant to examine what a school proposes, rather than automatically approve it. Under the Act, the committee may approve a lower amount than management proposes, but not a higher one. Its decision has to consider school location, infrastructure, educational standards, administration and maintenance spending, staff salaries, student expenditure and reasonable revenue surplus.
The approved fee is binding for three academic years. Schools must also display the approved structure on their notice board and website, with separate fee heads clearly shown.
Who Sits On The Fee Committee?
Each SLFRC includes a management representative as chairperson, the principal as secretary, three teachers selected by draw of lots, five parents selected from the Parent-Teachers Association and a Directorate of Education nominee as observer. The Act also requires representation from specified disadvantaged groups and at least two women members.
A July 2026 DoE circular further required advance notice for the draw, videography, written minutes and publication of selected names. Fee-revision proposals must be backed by audited financial statements for the previous three financial years.
Delhi Government also posted about the fee-regulation rollout through its official X account.
What Parents Can Do If They Dispute A School Fee Hike
Parents now have a defined challenge route. An “aggrieved parents group” must comprise at least 15% of parents of students in the affected class or school. Such a group can appeal an SLFRC decision to the District Fee Appellate Committee within 30 days. A further appeal can go to the Revision Committee.
The Act also bars coercive fee recovery. Schools cannot remove a child’s name from the rolls for an unauthorised fee, withhold examination results, deny classes or activities, or publicly humiliate a student over such payment. A violation can attract a penalty of ₹50,000 for each affected student.
Where a school charges fees outside the approved process, the Director of Education can order an immediate rollback and refund of excess money within 20 working days. The first violation can attract ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh, while later violations can attract ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh. Continued non-compliance can trigger still higher consequences.
What Private Schools Must Do Next And What Parents Should Watch
Litigation has shaped the rollout. The Delhi High Court earlier put parts of the February 1 timetable in abeyance. In July, the DoE again directed recognised private unaided schools to constitute SLFRCs, noting that the Act itself remained in force. Private-school bodies challenged the circular, and the High Court sought the government’s response.
The latest Assembly development therefore does not erase the court proceedings. Parents should watch school websites for committee names, the approved fee structure and any refund or adjustment notice. Schools, meanwhile, need records strong enough to justify each proposed increase. The recent Assembly update reported by Indian Express says the order was tabled to formalise timelines for the 2026-27 three-year block. It is scheduled for discussion in the Assembly on Monday, August 10.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can Delhi private schools increase fees immediately in 2026-27?
No. Schools must follow the notified process and applicable court directions before collecting revised fees.
How many parents are included in the school fee committee?
Five parents from the Parent-Teachers Association are selected through a draw of lots for membership.
For how long will an approved school fee remain valid?
An approved fee generally remains binding for three academic years under Delhi’s new regulatory framework.
Can parents appeal against a fee approved by the SLFRC?
Parents may appeal an SLFRC decision to the District Fee Appellate Committee within thirty days.
What happens if a school collects an unauthorised fee?
Authorities may order rollback, refund excess collections, and impose financial penalties under the applicable law.
