India News

Delhi enforces new law to regulate fees in private schools

Delhi has notified a new law to regulate private school fees, capping charges, banning capitation fees and mandating transparent, committee-approved fee structures.

Published

4 weeks ago

December 13, 2025

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The Delhi government has officially brought into force a new law aimed at regulating fees in private schools, notifying the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fee) Act, 2025. The notification was issued on Wednesday, nearly four months after the Bill was cleared by the Delhi Assembly and received approval from Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.

The Act establishes a comprehensive framework to govern how private unaided schools fix and collect fees, with a clear emphasis on transparency, accountability and relief for parents facing repeated fee hikes.

What the new Act provides for

Under the legislation, private unaided recognised schools can charge fees only under clearly defined heads such as registration, admission, tuition, annual charges and development fees. The law caps registration fees at Rs 25, admission charges at Rs 200 and caution money at Rs 500, which must be refunded with interest. Development fees have been restricted to a maximum of 10 per cent of the annual tuition fee.

Schools have also been directed to disclose all fee components in detail and maintain separate accounts for each category. Any fee not specifically permitted under the Act will be treated as an unjustified demand.

The law strictly prohibits the collection of capitation fees, whether direct or indirect. It further mandates that user-based service charges must be collected strictly on a no-profit, no-loss basis and only from students who actually use the service.

Accounting norms and restrictions on surplus funds

To ensure financial transparency, schools are required to follow prescribed accounting standards, maintain fixed asset registers and make proper provisions for employee benefits. The transfer of funds collected from students to any other legal entity, including a school’s managing society or trust, has been barred.

Any surplus generated must either be refunded to parents or adjusted against future fees, according to the notification.

Protection for students and parents

The Act also places restrictions on punitive action by schools in fee-related matters. Schools are prohibited from withholding results, striking off names or denying entry to classrooms due to unpaid or delayed fees.

The law applies uniformly to all private unaided schools in Delhi, including minority institutions and schools not built on government-allotted land.

School-level committees to approve fees

A key feature of the legislation is the mandatory formation of a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee by July 15 each year. The committee will include five parents selected through a draw of lots from the parent-teacher association, with compulsory representation of women and members from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally backward classes.

A representative from the Directorate of Education will also be part of the panel, while the chairperson will be from the school management.

Schools must submit their proposed fee structure to the committee by July 31. The committee can approve or reduce the proposed fees but cannot increase them. Once finalised, the fee structure will remain fixed for three academic years.

The approved fees must be displayed prominently on the school notice board in Hindi, English and the medium of instruction, and uploaded on the school website wherever applicable.

The Delhi government had earlier described the legislation as a significant step towards curbing arbitrary fee hikes after widespread complaints from parents at the start of the academic session.

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India News

2.89 crore voters dropped from UP draft electoral rolls after SIR exercise

The Election Commission has removed 2.89 crore voters from Uttar Pradesh’s draft electoral rolls following a special revision, with migration and deaths cited as key reasons.

Published

13 hours ago

January 6, 2026

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The Election Commission has removed 2.89 crore voters from Uttar Pradesh’s electoral rolls in the draft revised list released after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

According to the commission, the updated draft list now includes 12.56 crore voters, a significant decline from 15.44 crore voters recorded in October 2025, when the revision process began.

Majority removed due to migration and deaths

Of the total voters deleted from the rolls, 2.17 crore individuals were found to have shifted their residence, while 46.23 lakh voters were identified as deceased. Another 25.47 lakh voters were removed for being registered at more than one location.

The SIR exercise was conducted to clean up the voter database by eliminating duplicate, outdated and invalid entries, officials said.

Voters can verify names through ECINET app

The commission has urged voters to check their names in the draft list using the ECINET mobile application, which allows verification through smartphones.

The final electoral roll for Uttar Pradesh will be published on March 6, after addressing claims and objections received during the draft phase.

India News

PMLA Court issues summons to Raj Kundra in Bitcoin scam case

Raj Kundra has been summoned by a special PMLA court in the Bitcoin scam case, accused of holding 285 Bitcoins linked to Gain Bitcoin promoter Amit Bhardwaj.

Published

18 hours ago

January 6, 2026

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A special PMLA court has issued summons to businessman Raj Kundra in connection with the Bitcoin scam case, following the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet. The court has directed Kundra, along with Dubai-based businessman Rajesh Satija, to appear before it on January 19.

Kundra and Satija were added as accused in a supplementary filing by the ED in September last year. The case is being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ED claims Kundra received 285 Bitcoins

According to the ED, Raj Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scheme, for establishing a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. The deal did not proceed, and Kundra is alleged to still hold the Bitcoins, currently valued at over Rs 150 crore.

The chargesheet also notes that Kundra claimed to act merely as a mediator in the transactions but failed to provide any documentary evidence to support this claim. Instead, an agreement titled “Term Sheet” exists between him and Mahendra Bhardwaj, Amit’s father.

Evidence suggests Kundra was the beneficial owner

The ED stated that Kundra recalling the exact number of Bitcoins received across five tranches over seven years indicates he was the actual recipient and not a mediator. Additionally, he has not disclosed the wallet addresses for these Bitcoins despite multiple opportunities since 2018. Kundra reportedly cited damage to his iPhone X as the reason for missing details, which the ED views as a deliberate attempt to conceal proceeds of crime.

India News

Kharge cites Trump audio on Russian oil, questions PM Modi’s stance

Mallikarjun Kharge has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi after citing an audio clip of Donald Trump discussing India’s stance on Russian oil imports.

Published

19 hours ago

January 6, 2026

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday launched a fresh political attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing an audio clip in which US President Donald Trump allegedly spoke about India’s willingness to reduce Russian oil imports following pressure from Washington.

Referring to the audio, Kharge said Trump claimed India had shown readiness to cut down purchases of Russian oil after the US imposed steep tariffs last year, citing concerns over Moscow’s role in the Ukraine conflict.

Trump remarks and Kharge’s criticism

According to Kharge, the audio clip included Trump saying that Prime Minister Modi wanted to “make him happy” and that Modi respected him and listened to him. The Congress chief said such remarks raised serious questions about India’s independence in decision-making.

“I do not understand why Modi is bending before him. This is harmful for the nation. You should stand for the country. The country did not elect you as the Prime Minister to nod to whatever he says,” Kharge told reporters.

He further claimed that Trump’s comments suggested undue influence and likened the situation to a popular film dialogue, remarking that it appeared as if Trump was expressing satisfaction after diplomatic engagement.

Wider concerns over global politics

Kharge also expressed concern over recent developments in Venezuela, warning against what he described as attempts by powerful nations to intimidate others. He said expansionist tendencies and threats to global peace have historically failed and should not be repeated.

Touching upon Trump’s repeated claims of having played a role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Kharge said the US President often projects himself as a dominant global figure, but added that “the world will not bow before him.”

India’s position on oil imports

India has consistently maintained that it will purchase oil from any source based on national interest and the welfare of its citizens. The government has stated that energy security decisions are taken independently, keeping domestic needs and affordability in mind.