Delhi notifies ‘removal of difficulties’ order

The Act, which came into force on December 10, 2025, along with its rules, aims to bring transparency and accountability to school fee fixation in Delhi. It mandates the constitution of School Level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRCs) in every school, with representation from parents and teachers, and lays down a structured mechanism for determining fees in blocks of three academic years.

However, the government acknowledged that “practical difficulties” emerged during the academic year 2025–26, as the Act was notified after the timelines prescribed for constituting these committees had expired. To address these teething issues, the Lieutenant Governor has exercised powers under Section 21 of the Act, which allows the government to remove implementation difficulties within two years of the law’s commencement.

Under the newly notified order, all schools have been directed to constitute their SLFRCs within 10 days from February 1, while the SLFRCs, already constituted under an earlier order dated December 24, 2025, will be treated as valid under the present order.

Once the SLFRC is constituted, school managements must submit their proposed fee structures for the next block of three academic years beginning 2026–27, within 14 days. The SLFRC will then examine and fix the fees in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The order also directs the Director of Education to constitute District Fee Appellate Committees (DFACs) for each education district within 30 days of the order’s publication. These revised timelines will apply only to the upcoming three-year fee block, starting from 2026–27. For all future blocks, the timelines originally prescribed under the Act and the rules will be strictly applicable.

Importantly, the order stipulates that until fees are formally fixed for the next three-year block, schools shall not charge any fee higher than what was being charged as of April 1, 2025. Any exorbitant fee collected during the academic year 2025–26 will be dealt with in accordance with the law, subject to the outcome of pending legal challenges to the Act and the rules before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.

Addressing another potential regulatory gap, the order clarifies that upon the expiry of a three year fee block, schools are barred from increasing fees until approval for the subsequent block is granted. Any fee collected during this interim period must be adjusted against the fees eventually fixed under the Act.

The government has directed all authorities concerned and school managements to comply strictly with the timelines laid down in the order, cautioning that non-compliance may invite administrative and regulatory action under the Act and the Rules. The order also protects the validity of any actions or proceedings already initiated under the existing legal framework prior to its commencement.

With this notification, the Delhi Government has sought to ensure smoother implementation of the school fee regulation law while reinforcing its commitment to transparency and parent participation in fee-related decisions.