The Delhi High Court has extended the deadline for private schools to establish their fee regulation committees. The new deadline is February 20 , a postponement from the previous February 10 date set by the Delhi government.
Court Extends Fee Panel Deadline
A bench led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya issued a notice to the Delhi government. Several school associations had challenged the government’s February 1 notification. This notification required schools to form School-Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) within 10 days.
The court stated that delaying the committee’s formation would cause no harm. “We find in case the GNCTD does not insist on the formation of the SLFRC, no prejudice is going to be caused to either side or to the timeline,” the bench noted. Schools that have not yet formed their SLFRC are not required to do so until February 20.
Government Notification and School Responsibilities
The Delhi government issued the gazette notification on February 1. This aimed to facilitate the implementation of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act. The Supreme Court had previously questioned the law’s hurried implementation.
The notification mandated that every school form an SLFRC within 10 days of its publication. After forming the committee, school managements must submit proposed fee structures for the next three academic years, starting from 2026-27 , within 14 days. The SLFRC would then set the fees.
Concerns Over Timelines
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the Delhi government, argued that extending the deadline past February 10 would disrupt the fee fixation schedule. The original timeline aimed to determine school fees by March 27 for the upcoming academic year.
According to the government’s original plan, proposed fees were to be submitted by February 25, with an appellate committee formed by March 3. Mr. Raju highlighted that a previous extension to January 20 was granted before the February 1 notification.
Legal Challenges to Fee Regulation
Petitions challenging the new fee regulation law are ongoing. The Forum of Minority Schools and the Forum for Promotion of Quality Education For All filed these challenges. The Action Committee of Unaided Recognised Private Schools also petitioned against the February 1 notification.
The Forum of Minority Schools argued that the Delhi School Education Act, 2025, specifies SLFRC constitution by July 15 annually. They claim advancing this deadline requires legislative amendment, making the notification unlawful.
Composition of the Fee Regulation Committee
Under the new framework, each private school must form an SLFRC. This committee will consist of representatives from school management, the principal, three teachers, five parents, and one nominee from the Department of Education. Members are to be selected through a lottery system under observation for transparency.