Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 15: The Maharashtra School Education Department has revived the long-defunct Divisional Fee Regulatory Committees (DFRCs) and reconstituted a Revision Committee, restoring a formal grievance redressal system for parents over school fee hikes.

As per a government gazette notification issued on March 18, four DFRCs have been set up for divisions including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The panels will be chaired by retired district judges, with divisional deputy directors of education serving as ex-officio member-secretaries.

The DFRCs, constituted under the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011, are empowered to examine complaints of unreasonable fee hikes by schools. The newly formed Revision Committee will act as the appellate authority in such disputes.

According to existing provisions, complaints can be filed only when at least 25 per cent of parents from a school collectively raise objections to the fee structure. Officials said details regarding the committees and the complaint process will soon be made public to improve awareness.

However, the move has drawn mixed reactions. Anubha Sahai of the India Wide Parents Association said merely constituting the panels is not enough unless they function effectively.

She also opposed the requirement of a minimum 25 per cent parent participation for filing complaints, arguing that even smaller groups—or individual parents—should be allowed to approach the DFRCs.

The development is expected to provide a structured mechanism for addressing fee-related grievances, though concerns remain over accessibility and implementation.