On Friday, the Delhi High Court ruled that private unaided recognized schools in Delhi do not need prior permission from the Directorate of Education (DoE) to raise fees at the beginning of an academic session. This decision clarifies that such permission is only necessary for fee increases during an ongoing session. However, the court mandated that any proposed fee hikes will only be applicable starting from the 2027 academic session, and schools are prohibited from collecting any arrears for previous sessions. Schools are required to submit a statement of their proposed fees to the DoE before the new academic session begins. The court highlighted that the DoE's authority over fee regulation is limited, and the existence of surplus funds cannot be used to accuse schools of commercializing education. This ruling emerged from a petition filed by 137 private schools contesting the DoE's rejection of their fee hike proposals from 2016 to 2022, asserting their right to autonomy under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. The court's decision underscores the need for the DoE to act within its regulatory framework and respond to fee proposals within two months, or the proposals will be deemed approved.