Monsoon Session: Delhi Assembly Gears Up For Digital Rollout, School Fee Bill

NDTV

4 hours ago

Delhi Assembly In Monsoon 2025: With the Monsoon Session just around the corner, the Delhi Legislative Assembly is preparing for a full digital transition, alongside a heated debate on a private school fee regulation bill that has already drawn public attention and protest.
The session, expected in the first week of August, will mark the Assembly's move toward paperless proceedings under the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA). A three-day hands-on training program for MLAs begins Monday, July 21, at the Vidhan Sabha Complex. Eighteen computer systems have been installed, and expert trainers from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs will guide legislators from July 21 to 23.
"Digital transformation is no longer a choice but a necessity for people-centric legislation," Speaker Vijender Gupta said, adding that the move reflects the Assembly's commitment to accountable and tech-forward governance.
The highlight of the upcoming session is the proposed bill to regulate private school fee structures, based on an ordinance cleared by the Delhi Cabinet on April 29. The draft introduces a fine system for arbitrary hikes, ranging from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.10 lakh, and mandates refunds within 20 working days. Delays in refunding would trigger escalating penalties, and repeated violations could bar school management from revising fees or holding office.
The bill also proposes a three-tier regulatory mechanism, including school-level, district, and revision committees, with the latter empowered to deliver binding decisions in case of disputes.
"The bill is designed to make fee practices more transparent while preserving the integrity of educational institutions," a senior official told NDTV.
Meanwhile, NDTV spoke to parents who have been continuously protesting against arbitrary fee hikes at several private schools across Delhi.
Divya Mattey, a parent protesting outside DPS Dwarka, said that while the bill's intent appears positive, several aspects require deeper public discussion.
"The overall concept of the bill looks promising, but there are several aspects where we'd like more detail and the opportunity to offer constructive suggestions," he said.
Parents have sought a more structured and transparent approach to school-level committee formation, requesting that it be based on nominations rather than lottery, with clear eligibility criteria. They also want the government to disclose the 18 parameters proposed to determine fee hikes and to clarify whether audit reports of school accounts, currently conducted by the Directorate of Education, will continue under the new law.
Defined timelines for reviewing and deciding fee hike proposals have been welcomed, but parents are seeking details on how district and state-level committees will function and whether documents and deliberations will be accessible to them.
"We're a bit skeptical since the bill hasn't been made public yet," Mattey added. "But we hope ongoing coordination with the DoE and government will bring clarity and finally resolve the long-pending issue of fee disputes, stuck in litigation since 2011."
The proposed fee regulation bill is set to become a flashpoint in the upcoming session, with the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gearing up to corner the BJP-led government on a range of civic issues, from monsoon flooding and Yamuna pollution to water supply complaints across the city.
With the Assembly going digital and the private school fee bill under the spotlight, the Monsoon Session is set to open on a high-stakes note.