My child's private school in Delhi has hiked fees significantly. Is the DoE allowed to regulate this and can RTI help?

Yes. Private unaided recognised schools in Delhi are regulated under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 and the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973. The Supreme Court in Modern School v. Union of India (2004) held that private schools receiving public benefits (land at concessional rates, exemptions) cannot charge fees at will and must get fee hikes scrutinised by the relevant authority. The Directorate of Education, GNCTD is empowered to examine fee hike proposals and direct schools to deposit surplus fee income in a separate account. Through RTI, you can: (1) find out whether the DoE received and approved the fee hike for the current academic year; (2) obtain the school's annual accounts showing whether the hike was justified by expenses; (3) confirm whether any complaint against this school's fee practice is on DoE's record and what action was taken. Armed with this information, parents can file a formal complaint with the DoE or approach the Delhi School Tribunal.

Can I obtain the annual balance sheet or accounts of my child's private school through RTI?

Yes. Under Rule 180 of the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973, private recognised schools are required to submit their annual accounts to the Directorate of Education. The Delhi High Court has held that these accounts, once submitted to a public authority, are accessible under RTI. Ask the DoE for: (1) the annual accounts / balance sheet of [School Name] for the last two financial years; (2) specifically the fee income, teacher salary disbursement, surplus/deficit, and any amounts in the 'School Development Fund' or similar reserves. Discrepancies between the fee charged (large income) and teacher pay or infrastructure investment (small expenditure) are the factual basis for challenging a fee hike as unjustified. Note: if the school claims the accounts are commercially confidential, this claim is generally rejected because schools are not commercial entities under the Delhi S&E Act.

My child's school is collecting fees for items not in the approved structure (e.g., smart class charges, annual day fee, miscellaneous charges). Is this allowed and can RTI help?

No additional fees beyond those in the approved/accepted structure can be collected by private recognised schools in Delhi without DoE approval. Collecting unapproved fee heads — smart class technology charges, annual day fees, activity fees, stationery charges beyond what is approved — is a violation of the Delhi School Education Rules. RTI to DoE can: (1) confirm the approved fee structure for the school for the current academic year — specifically what heads are permitted; (2) whether the school has sought and obtained approval for the additional charges; (3) whether any complaint about this collection practice has been received and acted upon. With the approved structure in hand, you can file a formal complaint with the DoE citing the unapproved collection and demand a refund.

What is the Delhi School Tribunal and when should I approach it?

The Delhi School Tribunal is a quasi-judicial body established under Section 11 of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973. It hears appeals and disputes related to private school matters including fee disputes, teacher service matters, and DoE orders. If you are dissatisfied with the DoE's response to a fee complaint — or if the DoE has not acted within a reasonable time — you can file an application before the Delhi School Tribunal. RTI to the DoE first creates a factual record (the approved fee structure, the school's accounts, any prior complaints and action) before approaching the Tribunal. The Tribunal's orders are also subject to RTI — ask the DoE for copies of any Tribunal orders against [School Name].

What if the Directorate of Education does not respond to my RTI within 30 days?

File a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the Directorate of Education, GNCTD within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days. The Directorate of Education is a Delhi State government body — second appeal is always DIC (established under Section 15 of the RTI Act), not the Central Information Commission.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI for Delhi Private School Fee — Fee Fixation, Audit and Arbitrary Hike

Delhi State

How to File RTI for Delhi Private School Fee — Fee Fixation, Audit and Arbitrary Hike

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI with the Directorate of Education (DoE), GNCTD or the Delhi School Tribunal for private unaided school fee fixation basis, fee hike approval status, school balance sheet / annual accounts, and action taken on fee-related complaints under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryGovernment of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD)

Address RTI ToPIO, Directorate of Education, GNCTD, Old Secretariat, Delhi – 110054

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rti.delhi.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

Private unaided recognised schools in Delhi operate under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 and the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973, which are administered by the Directorate of Education (DoE), GNCTD. Despite the word "unaided," many private schools in Delhi received land at heavily subsidised rates from DDA or the Central Government — and the Supreme Court (in Modern School v. Union of India, 2004) held that such schools cannot commercialise education or charge fees without regulatory oversight.

The DoE is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. RTI to the DoE can provide parents with the factual record — the approved fee structure, the school's annual accounts, and the history of DoE complaints — needed to challenge arbitrary fee hikes or unapproved collection practices.

Legal Framework for Private School Fee Regulation in Delhi

Legal Instrument	Key Provision
Delhi School Education Act, 1973	Section 17: DoE can direct fee revision; Section 18: Schools must not charge fees beyond approved structure
Delhi School Education Rules, 1973	Rule 180: Schools must submit annual accounts to DoE
Supreme Court — Modern School v. UoI (2004)	Schools receiving public benefits must submit fee hike proposals for scrutiny; surplus income must be kept in a designated account for school development
Delhi High Court orders	Accounts submitted to DoE are public records accessible under RTI

What Can You Achieve with RTI to the DoE?

Obtain the approved fee structure for a specific school and academic year — the authoritative benchmark for what the school can legally charge
Get the school's annual accounts — fee income, teacher salary, surplus — to verify whether a fee hike is financially justified
Confirm whether the DoE approved a specific fee hike or it was imposed unilaterally
Know whether other parents have complained about the same school's fee practices and what the DoE did about it
Get DoE circulars and guidelines on permissible fee heads and the annual increase limit

Where to File

This is a Delhi State function. File at rti.delhi.gov.in:

Select Directorate of Education, GNCTD
Include the school's full name, address, and DoE recognition number if known
Draft your questions — fee structure for the specific academic year, school accounts, complaint status
Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt
Submit and note your registration number

Do not file on rtionline.gov.in — this is a Delhi State body. Second appeal goes to the Delhi Information Commission (DIC), not the CIC.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Fee structure and hike:

Approved / accepted fee structure for School Name for academic year XXXX-XX — tuition, development fee, annual charges, and all other approved heads
Whether the DoE received a fee hike proposal from School Name for Year — whether approved, rejected, or under examination; basis and quantum approved

Annual accounts: 3. Annual accounts / balance sheet of School Name for financial year as submitted under Rule 180 — fee income, teacher salaries, surplus/deficit, School Development Fund balance

Complaints and DoE action: 4. Number of complaints received against School Name for arbitrary fee hike or unapproved collection in the last three years — dates and action taken on each 5. Any DoE direction or Delhi School Tribunal order issued against School Name on fee matters — copy or summary

DoE policy: 6. Current DoE circular / guideline on maximum permissible annual fee increase and procedure for fee hike proposals for private unaided recognised schools in Delhi

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the FAA at the Directorate of Education, GNCTD within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) within 90 days. The Directorate of Education is a Delhi State government body — second appeal is DIC (established under Section 15 of the RTI Act), not the CIC.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
Directorate of Education, GNCTD,
Old Secretariat, Delhi – 110054

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Private School Fee Fixation, Annual Accounts and Fee Hike Approval

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], parent of [Child's Name], student of [School Name, Class, Section], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

School details:
  School Name: [Full name of the private school]
  School Address: [Address]
  DoE Affiliation / Recognition No.: [If known]
  Fee Hike / Complaint Reference No.: [If a complaint has been filed]

Information sought:

1. The fee structure approved / accepted by the Directorate of Education for [School Name] for the academic year [XXXX-XX] — specifically the tuition fee, development fee, annual charges, and any other component approved or permitted under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 and the rules / orders applicable to private unaided schools.

2. Whether the DoE has received any fee hike proposal from [School Name] for the academic year [XXXX-XX] — if yes, whether the proposed hike has been approved, rejected, or is under examination; and the basis and quantum of any approved hike.

3. A copy of the annual accounts / balance sheet of [School Name] for the last two financial years, as submitted to the Directorate of Education under Rule 180 of the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973 — specifically the surplus/deficit, fee income, and teacher pay disbursement.

4. Whether any complaint has been received by the DoE against [School Name] regarding arbitrary or excessive fee hike, forced collection of fees not in the approved structure, or refusal to give fee receipts — if yes, the number of complaints, dates, and action taken on each.

5. Whether the DoE or the Delhi School Tribunal has issued any direction or order to [School Name] regarding fees in the last three years — if yes, a copy or summary of each order.

6. The current guidelines / circulars issued by GNCTD / DoE applicable to private unaided recognised schools in Delhi regarding fee fixation, fee hike procedure, and the maximum permissible annual increase.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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