Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

Punjab government on Monday passed the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-Aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on the final day of the Monsoon Session of the Punjab Assembly, placing a cap on fee increases by private schools.

With the passage of the bill, private schools that increased fees by more than 5% annually during the last three years could face scrutiny and may be required to refund the excess amount collected from parents. However, several schools have already approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court and obtained a stay in the matter.

Presenting the bill in the House, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the amendment aims to regulate fee hikes in unaided educational institutions and provide relief to parents struggling with rising education costs.

Govt plans forensic audit of schools

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended the legislation, saying quality education has become the real measure of prosperity in modern times. He announced that the government would conduct a forensic audit of schools that increased fees by more than 15% in the last three years.

Mann alleged that many private schools impose repeated charges on parents under various pretexts, including uniforms and other compulsory purchases. He also referred to a recent case in Amritsar where a schoolgirl allegedly died by suicide after being harassed over unpaid fees.

Outsourced personnel bill introduced

During the session, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema introduced the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel Bill, 2026. The proposed law divides outsourced employees into two categories:

  • Three-year service condition for workers engaged in hazardous or difficult duties, including electricity and sewerage employees.

  • Five-year service condition for employees in the second category.

Cheema said these workers would be taken directly on contract by the Punjab government, which he described as a step toward improving job security and service conditions.

CM attacks previous governments

Chief Minister criticized earlier governments, particularly the Congress, alleging irregularities in pre-matric and post-matric scholarship schemes that harmed students’ futures. He also accused previous administrations of allowing parents to be treated like customers by private educational institutions, especially during the COVID-19 period when transport fees were allegedly charged despite buses not operating.

Mann further claimed that government schools had once been reduced to “buildings meant only for serving porridge,” but said reforms inspired by the Aam Aadmi Party’s education model had transformed public education.

Infrastructure amendment bill passed unanimously

Assembly also passed the Punjab Common Infrastructure (Regulation and Maintenance) Amendment Bill, 2026 unanimously. No MLA raised objections to the bill, and even opposition members did not seek to speak during its passage.

The government maintained that the fee regulation law is necessary to protect parents and ensure fair access to education across Punjab.