Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made a major announcement today aimed at curbing the arbitrary practices of private schools in the state. Addressing a press conference at his official residence in Chandigarh, CM Mann stated that private schools would no longer be able to hike fees at their own discretion. He announced a cap on annual fee increases, limiting them to a maximum of 5 percent. Furthermore, he declared that schools that had raised fees by more than 15 percent over the last three years would be required to refund the excess amount to parents. He also stated that no private school would be permitted to compel parents to purchase books or uniforms from specific shops. The Mann government took this decision following the suicide of a Class 12 student in Amritsar, which was attributed to the inability to pay school fees.

Let us understand the entire matter in detail and look at the steps the Bhagwant Mann government is taking to regulate private school fees.

**New Law to be Introduced in the Upcoming Assembly Session**
The Bhagwant Mann government is set to introduce new legislation to regulate private school fees and curb arbitrary hikes in Punjab. CM Mann stated that the government would bring in a strict law, which is scheduled to be passed during the upcoming assembly session. He added that these regulations would apply to all categories of fees.

**Ordinance to be Issued**
The CM stated that the proposed law would apply to all schools in Punjab, including national and international institutions. An ordinance regarding this matter will be issued within a day or two, followed by the introduction of a formal bill during the monsoon session. The CM emphasized that schools would not be able to evade these regulations, noting that annual audits of schools would be conducted to ensure compliance. He mentioned that the government is formulating a comprehensive law, incorporating the expertise of specialists from various fields to shape the strategy. He further explained that an amendment would be made to the ordinance under the 'Punjab Regulation of Fees of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2026'. 

**Old Law to be Repealed; Action to be Taken on Complaints**
CM Bhagwant Mann stated that the law introduced by the Captain government would be scrapped. He announced that all complaints regarding fee hikes received so far by the District Education Officer (DEO) office would be investigated, and action would be taken against any school found to be at fault. He further stated that schools would no longer be able to force parents to purchase books and uniforms from specific shops; they would be required to share all relevant information beforehand.

**Previous Government Allowed Exploitation**
CM Mann noted that the Captain Amarinder Singh-led government had granted schools the freedom to charge arbitrary fees in 2019. Previously, there was a cap allowing fee hikes of only up to 8 percent. Since Captain Amarinder Singh himself owns a school, he has decided to allow schools to raise fees at their discretion. We are repealing this law and capping the hike at 5 percent.

**Schools Won't Be Allowed to Act Arbitrarily**
The CM described the incident in Amritsar as tragic, noting that the girl involved was talented. He asserted that schools would not be permitted to act arbitrarily. The student died by suicide after being pressured by the school to pay exorbitant fees and subjected to such torment. Regrettably, the girl fell victim to the "school mafia." The CM mentioned receiving calls from numerous parents and students over the past 24 hours, revealing that people are harassed over "no dues" clearances. Schools often withhold roll numbers or threaten to withhold marksheets until outstanding dues are paid. He cited the Amritsar case, where a student was forced to endure humiliation by being made to stand in the corner of the classroom.

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