Punjab Guv approves ordinance capping private school fee hikes at 5 pc

Chandigarh, July 13

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has approved an ordinance capping annual fee hikes by private unaided schools at 5 percent, a move aimed at protecting parents and students from arbitrary increases.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Mann said the ordinance amends the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016. He thanked the Governor for approving the proposal cleared by the Punjab Cabinet last month and said the government is committed to ensuring transparency in school fee regulation.

The Chief Minister said the decision was taken after receiving repeated complaints from parents about steep fee hikes and multiple charges imposed by private schools. He said education should not become a business and assured that the government would not allow families to face unnecessary financial burden.

Under the amended provisions, private schools will not be allowed to increase fees by more than five percent in a year without prior approval from the regulatory body. The ordinance is expected to strengthen accountability in the fee structure while safeguarding the interests of students and parents across the state.