Chandigarh, July 15 (APAC Media): The Punjab government has capped annual fee hikes by private unaided schools at 5%, offering relief to nearly 32 lakh students and their families.
The state has introduced the Punjab Regulation of Fees of Un Aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.
The new framework aims to curb arbitrary fee increases and strengthen oversight of private schools.
ਪ੍ਰਾਈਵੇਟ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਫ਼ੀਸ ‘ਚ ਮਨਮਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਵਾਧੇ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਮਾਨ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਲਿਆਂਦਾ ਕਨੂੰਨ!
ਮਾਨ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਪੂਰੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਨਿੱਜੀ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ‘ਚ ਪੜ੍ਹਦੇ ਲਗਭਗ 32 ਲੱਖ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਮਾਪਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਚਿਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਲਟਕੀ ਮੰਗ, ਹੁਣ ਸਲਾਨਾ 5% ਤੋਂ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਣ ਸਕੇਗਾ ਵਾਧਾ, ਬੀਤੇ ਸਾਲਾਂ ‘ਚ ਕੀਤੀ ਵੱਧ ਵਸੂਲੀ ਮਾਪਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਕਰਨੀ ਪਵੇਗੀ ਵਾਪਸ pic.twitter.com/sHyLPFQied
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) July 13, 2026
Excess Fees to Be Refunded
Private schools can now increase annual fees by up to 5% without special approval.
Schools that raised fees by more than 15% over the past three years will have to refund the excess amount collected from parents.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said schools cannot adjust the refundable amount under another fee category.
District Committees to Monitor Schools in Punjab
The government will set up fee regulatory committees in every district. These will function under the chairmanship of the respective Deputy Commissioners.
The committees will review fee hikes, financial records and charges collected by schools. They can also seek documents, interact with parents and inspect institutions.
Schools to Submit Four Years of Fee Records
Private schools must submit details of fees collected during the past four years to the Education Department within 10 days.
The information will be uploaded to a government portal for scrutiny. Schools found violating the rules may face legal and regulatory action.
A first-time violation can attract a penalty ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Continued non-compliance may lead to the cancellation of a school’s recognition.
Punjab Allows Up to 8% Hike Allowed in Special Cases
Schools investing in new buildings, libraries, smart classrooms, laboratories or other essential facilities can seek approval for a fee hike of up to 8%.
The district committee will examine such requests. Once the investment cost is recovered, the school must return to the standard 5% annual fee limit.
No Forced Purchase of Books or Uniforms
Schools cannot force parents to buy books, uniforms or educational material from specific shops or vendors.
They can prescribe the colour and design of uniforms. However, parents will be free to purchase them from any seller.
The regulations will cover around 7,800 private unaided schools across Punjab.
The government said the ordinance follows repeated complaints from parents over steep and arbitrary fee hikes.
The new rules seek to bring greater transparency to private school fees, strengthen accountability and reduce the financial burden on families across Punjab.
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