The Punjab government on Monday enforced a new ordinance capping annual fee hikes in private schools at 5%, requiring prior regulatory approval for any increase beyond this limit. The measure, effective immediately, also mandates refunds for excessive fees collected over the past three years and brings all ancillary charges under the tuition fee umbrella.
Punjab Fee Regulation Ordinance 2026: Key Provisions
Under the Punjab Regulation of Fees of Unaided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, schools that raised fees by more than 15% cumulatively since 2023 must refund the excess to parents. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the law after receiving the governor’s assent, stating it covers nearly 7,800 private schools and 3.2 million students.
All private institutions must submit four years of fee records to a government portal within 10 days. Authorities will audit the data to identify violations, with forensic reviews deployed where necessary. The ordinance classifies transportation, building funds, and other miscellaneous charges as part of tuition fees for regulatory purposes.
Enforcement and Penalties
District-level committees, led by deputy commissioners, will review fee revision requests and investigate complaints. Violations trigger a graded penalty system:
- First offence: Rs 50,000 fine
- Second offence: Rs 1 lakh fine
- Third offence: Derecognition and further legal action
The government has directed schools to comply with the new transparency requirements, warning that non-compliance will result in penalties. Further updates are expected as regulatory committees begin their reviews.
