Punjab Assembly passes bill on capping school fee at 5 pc

Chandigarh: The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a bill, aimed at capping fee hikes by private schools at 5 per cent per annum.

On the concluding day of the monsoon session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains tabled the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the House.

As per the bill, no un-aided educational institution shall enhance its fee by more than 5 per cent.


Participating in the discussion on the Bill, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said it will cover around 7,800 private schools in the state, directly benefiting around 32 lakh students.

It will bring a big relief, asserted Mann on capping fee hike at 5 per cent.

Mann said the ceiling will cover not only the tuition fees but also all mandatory charges and funds collected by schools.

According to the bill, fee includes all amounts charged which includes tuition fee, development fee, annual charges, activity charges, smart class or technology charges, transportation charges (where not separately contracted), laboratory and library charges, examination charges, any other funds.

As per the bill, educational institutions will be required to refund parents in cases where cumulative fee increases have exceeded 15 per cent over the last three years.

The bill was brought by amending the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016.