Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday welcomed the Delhi High Court’s order staying school fee hikes until March 12, describing it as a major relief for parents and a protective measure against alleged arbitrary fee increases by private schools.
Reacting to the interim order of the Delhi High Court, Sood termed the decision a “definitive shield” for residents of the national capital and attributed it to what he called the government’s “unwavering political will.”
“This is not merely a legal victory but a triumph of the strong political resolve of this government,” the minister said, adding that parents in Delhi had long faced arbitrary fee hikes.
He said the Education Department had pursued the matter vigorously and informed that no enhanced school fee would be applicable until the next hearing scheduled for March 12 and the constitution of the School Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC).
Sood further stated that the court order provides for scrutiny and regulation of any excessive fees charged by schools for the 2025–26 academic session, subject to the final outcome of the case.
Quoting provisions of the court’s order, he said any exorbitant fee collected would be examined and dealt with in accordance with law, and mechanisms have also been provided for refund or adjustment wherever necessary.
The minister added that schools have been permitted to collect only the same fee as the previous academic year, and no automatic right to increase fees has been granted pending further judicial consideration.