Thu Jun 12 02:19:04 UTC 2025: **Summary of Text:**

The Delhi Cabinet has approved an ordinance to regulate fee hikes in private schools, effective retroactively from April 1, 2025. This move has drawn immediate criticism from Opposition parties, who allege the decision was made undemocratically, without consulting parents or relevant stakeholders. They claim the ordinance, based on a draft bill, favors private schools and doesn’t adequately protect parents from arbitrary fee increases. The Opposition demands transparency regarding the ordinance’s specific regulations.

**News Article:**

**Delhi Government Faces Backlash Over School Fee Regulation Ordinance**

**NEW DELHI, June 12, 2025** – The Delhi government is facing strong opposition after approving an ordinance aimed at regulating fee hikes in private schools. The ordinance, approved by the Cabinet yesterday, will be implemented retroactively from April 1, 2025, but its details remain largely undisclosed, sparking accusations of opacity and undemocratic practices.

According to Education Minister Ashish Sood, the ordinance will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for approval. While the specifics are yet to be revealed, the ordinance is believed to be based on the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, which proposes a three-tiered regulatory committee system to oversee fee increases.

However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress party have strongly criticized the move. AAP’s Delhi unit chief, Saurabh Bharadwaj, claimed the ordinance prioritizes the interests of private schools over parents, and that the fee regulatory committees would effectively rubber-stamp school-determined fees. He emphasized that the ordinance was created without public consultation or feedback.

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav echoed these concerns, labeling the decision “undemocratic” and indicative of the government’s neglect of the voices of students and parents protesting against arbitrary fee hikes for months.

The controversy highlights the ongoing tensions between the government, private schools, and parents regarding the cost of education in Delhi. The Opposition is demanding full transparency and public disclosure of the ordinance’s specific provisions to ensure the interests of parents are adequately protected.

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