Government takes action after suicide of Amritsar student, now private schools will be able to increase fees only by 5% in a year

In Amritsar, a 17 year old student committed suicide due to pressure from the school administration. After this matter, the Punjab government has adopted a strict attitude. To stop the arbitrary fee increase of private schools, the Bhagwant Mann government of Punjab is going to bring a strict law in the Assembly. Under this, now private schools in the state will not be able to increase fees by more than 5 percent. CM Bhagwant Mann has announced this. A law will be brought for this in the upcoming assembly session.

On the student suicide case, CM said that a promising student became a victim of the school mafia. The school pressurized the student to charge arbitrary fees and harassed the student. The student was forced to commit suicide. We will not allow private schools to act arbitrarily. CM Bhagwant Mann said that the schools which have increased the fees by 12 or 15%, will have to return the increased fees to the parents if the law is made.

‘I received calls from many parents and children’

The Chief Minister said, in the last 24 hours I have received calls from many parents and children. I have come to know that people are being harassed in the name of non-payment of outstanding fees. They say that unless they pay the outstanding amount, they will not be given roll numbers. They are also often threatened with withholding their degree. Just like what happened with that girl from Amritsar.

CM Bhagwant Mann’s attack on Amarinder government

During this period, CM Bhagwant Mann also attacked the Amarinder Singh government. He said that in 2019, the previous government had given schools the freedom to increase fees arbitrarily. Earlier, only 8 percent increase in fees was allowed. After this all the schools increased the fees. Captain Amarinder Singh himself is the owner of a school. In such a situation, he had decided that schools can increase fees as much as they want. We are repealing this law. It is being reduced to 5 percent.

Now schools will be audited every year

The Chief Minister said that now schools will be audited every year. We are bringing a big law. Experts from various fields related to education have been included in this. The entire strategy will be prepared based on their opinion. The ordinance of Punjab Unaided Educational Institutions Fee Regulation Act-2026 will be amended.