The BJP Government is going to any lengths to shield Delhi’s private schools — now sneaking in the Fee Regulation Bill through an ordinance, bypassing the Assembly. After Education Minister Ashish Sood confirmed the bill won’t be tabled in the House, AAP hit back hard, slamming the move as anti-parent and pro-private school.
Senior AAP leader and Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) Atishi demanded the bill be brought to the Assembly, sent to a Select Committee, and passed only after parents’ voices are included. The secrecy around the bill exposes the BJP’s real intent — shielding private players, not standing with parents. She also wrote to the Delhi CM regarding the same.
Atishi took ‘X’ and wrote, “Yesterday, I met parents of children studying in private schools. They are deeply distressed — schools are hiking fees, targeting their children, and the government is doing nothing. There was talk of a Fee Regulation law, but no one has seen the draft till date. Parents spoke in one voice: the fee law must not be brought in through an ordinance. The draft bill should be made public, their opinions must be heard, and only then should the bill be passed.”
During a press conference, the Delhi Assembly LoP, Atishi, stated, “Ever since the BJP came to power in Delhi, private schools have been increasing fees without any restraint. Whether it’s tuition fees, development charges, so-called AC charges, or extracting money under the guise of activity or swimming classes—parents of children studying in Delhi’s private schools are frustrated.”
Highlighting the ongoing protests by parents, she stated that they have been on the streets for the past three months—sometimes outside school gates, sometimes outside the Chief Minister’s residence, and at times outside the Directorate of Education. Under pressure from these parents, the BJP was forced to bring a Fee Regulation Bill to the Cabinet.
Atishi pointed out, “This Fee Regulation Bill has been kept hidden by the BJP. No parent, lawyer, MLA, or even any Delhi resident has seen this bill. Why is it being concealed? If this bill is in the interest of parents, then why hasn’t it been shown to them? Why hasn’t it been uploaded on the website? Why hasn’t public feedback been invited?”
“This may be the first time in Delhi’s history that such a significant law or policy is being brought without any public feedback. Hiding the draft of a law like this only shows one thing—something is seriously sketchy with it. This bill isn’t meant to reduce school fees or to regulate private schools. It’s being brought in to protect private schools,” she reasoned.
The Delhi Assembly LoP stressed that parents were waiting. We too were waiting for this bill to be tabled in the Delhi Assembly. Once tabled, it would have come before MLAs, lawyers, parents, and activists. We could’ve voiced our opinions in the Assembly. Parents would have given their feedback. Lawyers and experts could have offered their views.
Atishi added, “But yesterday, Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood held a press conference and announced that the bill will not be introduced in the Assembly. Instead, this private school fee law will be pushed through the back door via an ordinance. Why is it being brought through an ordinance? There is only one reason—because this bill is not aimed at protecting parents from rising fees.”
She said that the ordinance serves no interest of accountability or reform. She asserted, “This bill is not being brought to audit schools. It is not being brought to regulate them. This bill is being brought only and only to protect private schools. That’s why it was first hidden from the public, and now, instead of placing it before the Assembly, it’s being sneaked in through an ordinance.”
Atishi shared a recent meeting with affected parents and shared their unanimous opposition to the ordinance. She said, “Yesterday, I met many parents whose children study in private schools. All of them had just one voice, one demand: ‘We don’t want an ordinance. We want the bill in the public domain. We want to give our feedback on it. We do not accept this ordinance.’”
The Delhi Assembly LoP stated that on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party’s Vidhayak Dal, I demand that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi government immediately convene a special session of the Delhi Assembly. In this special session, the Delhi government must present the law regulating private school fees. The Rules and Procedures of the Delhi Assembly, much like Parliament, allow for the formation of a Select Committee.”
“This committee would examine the bill and consult various stakeholders. It would invite parents, activists, lawyers, and auditors to provide input. Our demand is clear—there should be a special session, the bill must be tabled, and it should be sent to a Select Committee that collects feedback from all stakeholders. Only after this process should the law to regulate private school fees be passed by the Delhi Assembly,” she elaborated.
She further added that if the BJP brings this law through an ordinance, if it does not make the bill public or seek consultation or feedback, then it will be clear to every citizen of Delhi that the BJP has a nexus with private schools. It will prove that they want to protect private schools and enable them to continue collecting inflated fees.
Atishi noted, ‘We had released an email ID for public contact, and within just two or three days, we received hundreds of emails. The foremost demand from parents is: make the bill public. Why is it being hidden? Why is it being brought as an ordinance?
Describing consultations with parent representatives from various private schools, she said, ‘Yesterday, I met representatives from nearly 15 to 20 different private schools. The parents shared detailed feedback on what provisions should be included in the bill. In one united voice, they said: we do not accept this ordinance. Make the bill public and incorporate our feedback.’”
LoP Atishi’s letter to Delhi CM Rekha Gupta:
Atishi stated, “Ever since BJP has come to power in Delhi, private schools have arbitrarily and excessively hiked school fees. Parents have been protesting outside the schools, on the streets, outside the Directorate of Education. But despite these efforts, the Government has not rolled back the fee hike of a single school.”
She continued, “The Delhi Government announced that they have passed a Bill in the Cabinet for private school fee regulation. However, no one has seen this draft Bill. There has been no public consultation on this important legislation. Not a single parent, activist, educationist has given their inputs. Why this secrecy? Why was the draft Bill not put online for public feedback?”
Atishi added, “In a Press Conference you stated that the Bill would soon be tabled before the Assembly in a Special Session. However, yesterday the Hon’ble Education Minister, Sh. Ashish Sood, said that the Bill would be brought in the form of an Ordinance. This is very shocking.”
“No public consultation was done at the time of the drafting of the Bill. And now there will be no debate in the Assembly either. This gives rise to the suspicion that there is collusion between the BJP Government and private schools; that this Bill is being brought in through the back-door to protect the interests of private schools, not of aggrieved parents,” she further added.
The Delhi Assembly LoP said, “We as a strong opposition will continue to raise the voice of the people on this matter. We demand:
- The Government should immediately call a Special Session of the Assembly and table the Fee Regulation bill.
- The Bill should then be referred to a Select Committee, with members from both BJP and AAP.
- The Select Committee should do a large scale public consultation involving all stakeholders.
- Only after this, the final draft of the Bill after incorporating all changes should be passed by the Assembly.”
She asserted, “If the Bill is brought as an Ordinance-without any debate or public consultation-it will just confirm the suspicion of the people of Delhi that the BJP Government is protecting the interests of private schools, not the parents.”
