Nepal government cracks down on unauthorized school fee collection

Nepal’s government has cautioned private schools against collecting fees beyond prescribed limits following complaints from parents about arbitrary charges at the transition between academic sessions.

According to a report by “The Kathmandu Post,” the Ministry of Education has taken note of instances where schools enrolled students and collected substantial fees before the official start of the 2026 academic year.

Schools have been directed to begin admissions only after the session starts and to comply with the Institutional (Private) School Fee Determination Criteria Directive, 2015.

Authorities have warned that violations will invite strict action, including refunds to parents and penalties under existing laws. Local governments have been asked to monitor compliance.

Complaints include charging under unauthorized categories and repeatedly collecting admission fees from students who are already enrolled.

The directive permits fees under 14 categories such as tuition, admission, examination, and transportation but sets limits.

Tuition can be charged only for 12 months, admission fees cannot exceed one month’s tuition and can be collected only once, and annual fees are capped at two months’ tuition. Violations can attract fines of up to ₹25,000 and cancellation of licenses in cases of repeated offenses.

The move follows an interim order by the Supreme Court directing schools to start admissions only after the academic session begins, emphasizing adherence to the academic calendar and due process.

Similar concerns over private school fees have also been raised in India. In Delhi, parents recently protested outside a private school in East Delhi, alleging coercive practices such as withholding report cards and threats of expulsion over fee disputes.

They also alleged fee hikes of nearly 57% over two years and said they would pay only charges approved by authorities.

At the policy level, the Delhi government has proposed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, to regulate fee increases across about 1,700 private schools.

However, its implementation has been deferred to the 2026-27 academic session, and the Delhi High Court has currently stayed provisions requiring schools to form fee regulation committees.