Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood defends Fee Regulation Bill amid protest

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday stated that transparency, accountability and fairness are the core values of the School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fee) Bill, 2025.

Sood, addressing a group of concerned parents, reiterated that the Bill represents a landmark reform aimed at establishing a transparent, fair, and accountable framework for the regulation of fees in all unaided private schools.

The Minister alleged that certain groups were spreading misinformation about the Bill, and dismissed claims that it would reduce government oversight of private educational institutions.

On the contrary, the Bill supplements and strengthens the existing statutory framework under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, and the rules have been framed under the Act.

“It neither supersedes nor derogates existing law, but rather introduces additional checks and balances in the interest of students and parents,” he added.

Notably, parents under the banner of United Parents Voice, staged a protest in front of the Assembly and also launched a signature campaign demanding immediate withdrawal of the Bill and the resignation of Education Minister Ashish Sood.

The AAP has backed the protest, with its Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj joining the demonstrators.

“No consultation was held with parents before introducing this Bill in the Delhi Assembly to regulate fees in private schools. The parents have rightly demanded audits of all private schools. The BJP government claims it has conducted audits of every school, but this new Bill includes no provision for auditing private institutions,” he said.