Private unaided schools in Delhi no longer need prior approval from the Directorate of Education (DoE) to increase fees before a new academic session. The Delhi High Court issued this ruling, impacting 137 writ petitions, including the case of Delhi Public School vs Government of NCT of Delhi.
Court Decision Overturns DoE Fee Hike Requirement
The High Court declared the DoE's demand for pre-clearance unlawful. This decision strikes down previous summary rejections by the DoE. Schools must still submit an affidavit detailing proposed fees by Section 17(3) of the relevant act. However, the government cannot demand prior approval for these annual fee adjustments.
Operational Guidelines for Fee Adjustments
The court outlined clear guidelines for fee changes. Schools are now exempt from seeking DoE permission for fee hikes at the start of an academic year. They only need to file a statement of proposed fees. This change is effective from April 2027 .
Mid-Session Fee Hikes Remain Regulated
Fee increases during an ongoing academic session still require prior DoE approval. Schools must submit proposals at least two months in advance. If the DoE does not respond within this period, the proposed hike is considered approved.
No Retroactive Fee Recovery
The court strictly prohibited schools from recovering past fee arrears from parents for previous sessions. This means schools cannot demand retroactive payments for older academic years.
Key Provisions Summarized
| Type of Fee Hike | Requirement | Effective Date |
| Start of New Session | File statement of proposed fees (Section 17(3)). No prior DoE approval needed. | April 2027 |
| Mid-Session (Ongoing) | Prior DoE approval mandatory. Submit 2 months in advance. Deemed approval if no decision. | Immediately |
| Recovery of Past Arrears | Strictly prohibited. | Immediately |
