Noida, April 8 Private schools in Gautam Buddh Nagar cannot force students to buy books, uniforms, shoes, or other items from specific vendors, and must limit fee increases to 7.23% for the 2026-27 academic session, according to an official statement issued after a review meeting of the District Fee Regulatory Committee.
The decisions were made at a meeting chaired by District Magistrate Medha Roopam on Tuesday, under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018, the statement said.
It stated that schools will not force students to buy books, uniforms, shoes, or other items from specific vendors, and should encourage the use of NCERT textbooks for teaching and learning.
The administration has also prohibited schools from changing uniforms within a continuous period of five academic years. Any proposed change will require prior approval from the District Fee Regulatory Committee, it added.
Schools have also been directed not to alter prescribed textbooks every year and to upload details of fee hikes on their official websites.
The statement said that a fee increase equivalent to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 5%, resulting in a 7.23% increase for the 2026-27 session, has been approved.
To facilitate complaints, a dedicated email ID -- [email protected] -- has been issued, allowing parents and stakeholders to report violations related to fee increases or other irregularities.
The committee has outlined penalties for violations, including a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and refund of excess fees for the first offence, a fine of Rs 5 lakh for the second offence, and for a third violation, recommendation for withdrawal of school recognition along with other punitive measures.
The statement further said that schools operating swimming pools must obtain necessary permissions, no-objection certificates, and annual registrations from competent authorities. Institutions must also appoint male coaches for boys and female coaches for girls where such facilities exist.
All schools in the district have been directed to ensure strict compliance with these guidelines, failing which strict action will be taken and the management will be held responsible, it added.