Punjab Vidhan Sabha clears Bill to cap private school fee hike at 5%

The Punjab Assembly unanimously approved a Bill on Monday that caps private school fee increases at 5 percent annually. The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026 also requires schools to refund excess fees to parents if the total hike exceeds 15 percent over three years. The legislation is among nine Bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha during the monsoon session's final day, despite opposition members protesting against insufficient time for study and debate.

Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains argued that private schools have turned education into an "industry" and that education should not become a profit-making venture. The Bill mandates schools to display their revised fee structure at least 90 days before the start of the academic year and prohibits them from compelling students to purchase uniforms, books or other items from specific sources.

If a school seeks a higher fee increase, it must seek approval from the regulatory mechanism. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann highlighted that the Bill will directly benefit around 32 lakh students in approximately 7,800 private schools across the state.