We are feeling pain and fear because of the private school fees regulation bill : Christian schools in Assam

Christian schools protest against Assam Govt’s bill regulating arbitrary fee hikes in minority schools

Guwahati (Assam) – The Assam Government recently introduced a bill in the Assembly to regulate charging of fees in private schools run by minorities to prevent arbitrary fee hikes. It is called the ‘Assam Non-Government Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) (Amendment) Bill, 2025’ and is a commendable attempt by the Government to promote educational equality through this. However, Christians are strongly opposing it. The State’s apex Christian body, ‘Assam Christian Forum’, on November 25th, claimed to be ‘victims’ of this and said that they were feeling pain and fear due to this bill. The organization said that the proposed bill ends the independent functioning of minority schools. It also gives the Government wide powers to fix the fees of minority schools, monitor the recovery, and interfere as it sees fit.

The Christian organization further said that apart from the ability to set reasonable fees, schools run by minorities may find it difficult to pay salaries to teachers, maintain facilities or provide scholarships to poor students. Many of these students are from tribal and remote areas. (Intellectually bankrupt Christian organization ! On the one hand, they claim that most of the students are from tribal areas and on the other hand, they charge them higher fees. What could be more ridiculous than this ? – Editor).

Importance of the bill

1. More than 200 private schools run by minorities in Assam have so far been exempted from fee regulation by the Government. However, the bill that the Government has now brought seeks to bring these schools under the mandatory fee regulation framework.

2. The amendment bill was introduced by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu in the ongoing winter session of the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly. Speaking in the House, Pegu stressed the need for regulation. He said that minority institutions established under Article 30(1) of the Constitution of India are operating without a ‘fee assessment certificate’. This may lead to an increase in annual fees without justification. Pegu further said that our new bill will ensure fair and equitable cost for students and parents.

3. The provisions of the Bill establish mandatory registration, fee approval and periodic renewal for all non-Government institutions, including schools run by minorities, as per Section 30(1). The move outlines a system for fee monitoring and brings all private schools under a single regulatory process.

4. One of the key provisions of the bill requires private schools in rural panchayat areas to be given a 25% discount on admission fees compared to urban areas.

5. In this regard, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Assam Government will now bring private schools run by minorities under Government regulation. This is a significant step towards equality and accountability in private education.

Editorial Perspectives

• Christian schools are stealing from the students and when Government tries to intervene, they are opposing. It is a known habit of Christians to make the parents of poor Hindu students pay exorbitant fees, and if anyone tries to regulate it, protest against it. Therefore, the Assam Government should ignore this, and all the BJP-ruled States across India should make a similar law.

• It should not be surprising if secular organizations, political parties like Congress, etc., which claim to be pro-democracy, instead of supporting such bills, take the side of the Christian minority.