The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging Delhi’s new law regulating school fees to February 2. The Delhi government told the court that further meetings are needed to resolve pending issues with private schools.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging a newly introduced law regulating school fees in the national capital. The matter will now be heard on February 2.
A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Vijay Bishnoi decided to defer the case after the Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing on behalf of the Delhi Government, informed the court that discussions were underway at the government level.
He submitted that one meeting with senior officials had already taken place and another meeting was still required to address the concerns raised.
Accepting this submission, the apex court agreed to list the matter again on February 2.
Earlier, on January 19, the Supreme Court had questioned the Delhi government on the timing of implementing the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, especially since the academic year was already in progress. The court had expressed concern over the possible disruption to students, parents, and schools due to mid-session enforcement of the law.
The petitions before the court have been filed by associations representing private unaided schools, which have challenged both the Act and the rules framed under it. The schools have argued that the law places excessive controls on their functioning and financial autonomy.
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The Delhi government recently notified the Act, which lays down detailed rules on how school fees can be fixed and regulated. The law specifies permissible fee heads, mandates transparent accounting practices, restricts additional charges, and strictly prohibits capitation fees or any fee collection beyond what is approved under the law.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court had earlier dealt with related issues. On January 8, the High Court refused to stay a notification directing private schools in Delhi to set up fee regulation committees. However, it granted additional time to schools, extending the deadline for constituting these committees from January 10 to January 20.
The High Court also extended the deadline for schools to submit their proposed fee structures to these committees. The last date for submission was shifted from January 25 to February 5, giving school managements more time to comply with the new framework.
With the Supreme Court now postponing the hearing, all eyes will be on the February 2 proceedings, which are expected to play a crucial role in determining how and when the fee regulation law will be enforced across schools in the national capital.
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