Telangana Cabinet Meet on May 21 May Take Up Private School Fee Bill

Hyderabad: The state Cabinet meeting scheduled for May 21 is likely to discuss and approve the proposed Telangana Private Unaided School Fee Regulatory and Monitoring Commission Bill to regulate fee structures in private schools ahead of the new academic year 2026-27, beginning in June.

Official sources said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who also holds the education portfolio, has directed officials to place the draft legislation before the Cabinet for discussion and approval.

The proposed Bill seeks to establish a regulatory mechanism to monitor and control fee structures in private unaided schools across Telangana. As per the draft proposal, a dedicated commission headed by either a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge, or a retired IAS officer, would be constituted to determine and regulate school fees.

The Bill is proposed to cover all private unaided educational institutions from pre-school to Class 12, including CBSE, ICSE and IB schools operating in the state.

Under the proposed framework, schools would be classified on the basis of infrastructure, quality of staff and geographical location to evolve a standardised and justifiable fee structure. The commission would also oversee implementation of the 25 per cent reservation for underprivileged students under the Right to Education Act.

In addition, the Bill proposes a ban on collection of additional amounts in the name of donations, development funds or miscellaneous charges. To improve transparency and accountability, all private institutions would also be mandated to constitute Parent-Teacher Associations.

The move comes amid mounting protests by parents and student unions against steep fee hikes announced by private schools for the 2026-27 academic year. Parents allege that several schools have increased fees by 10 to 30 per cent, while some institutions have imposed hikes of 50 per cent or more, pushing annual fees in certain schools into lakhs of rupees.

The sharp increase has triggered widespread protests among middle and lower-income families, many of whom are reportedly being forced to borrow money or incur debts to continue their children’s education.

Parents’ associations, particularly the Hyderabad School Parents’ Association, along with student unions, have intensified their agitation demanding immediate government intervention and implementation of a long-pending fee regulation mechanism before the academic session begins in June 2026.

They have also urged the government to promulgate an ordinance, if necessary, to ensure regulation of private school fees without further delay.

The issue has gained urgency despite recommendations submitted by the Telangana Education Commission in March 2025 regarding fee regulation in private schools. However, the proposed legislation has remained pending for approval, prompting criticism from parent bodies and student unions, who argue that unchecked fee hikes are placing an unbearable burden on families across the state.