978
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
EXTRAORDINARY
Published by Authority
CHANDIGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHADRA 18, 1948 SAKA)
LEGISLATIVE SUPPLEMENT
Contents Pages
Part - I Acts
The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2026 (Punjab Act No. 11 of 2026)
.. 979-985
Part - II Ordinances
Nil
Part - III Delegated Legislation
Nil
Part - IV Correction Slips, Republications and
Replacements
Nil
______
( cvii ) 979
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
PART-I
GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, PUNJAB
NOTIFICATION
The 9th September, 2026
No.13-Leg./2026.- The following Act of the Legislature of the State
of Punjab received the assent of the Governor of Punjab on the 30th day of
August, 2026, is hereby published for general information :-
THE PUNJAB REGULATION OF FEE OF UN-AIDED EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2026
(Punjab Act No.11 of 2026)
AN
ACT
further to amend the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational
Institutions Act, 2016.
BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the
Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
1. (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Short title and commencement.
Un-aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2026.
(2) It shall come into force on and with effect from the date of its
publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions
Act, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), in section 2,
Amendment in section 2 of Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
(i) after clause (ff), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-
"(fff) 'cumulative fee enhancement' means the aggregate
percentage increase in the total fee charged by an Un-aided
Educational Institution over the last thirty-six months from the month
of notification of the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational
Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2026 in the Official Gazette, calculated
by comparing the fee charged in the earliest of those three academic
years with the fee charged in the latest academic year;"
(ii) for clause (g), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-
"(g) 'fee' means the total of all amounts charged by or on 980
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
(Trust, Society, Company or any such entity) directly or indirectly
from a student or parent, by whatever name called, including tuition
fee, development fee, annual charges, activity charges, smart class or
technology charges, transportation charges (where not separately
contracted), laboratory and library charges, examination charges, any
other funds, and any other compulsory monetary contribution or
indirect collections and amounts collected through affiliated entities,
and includes both recurring and non-recurring charges but excludes
amounts collected as refundable security deposit, provided such deposit
is actually refunded in full on the student's departure;" and
(iii) after clause (g), so substituted, the following clause shall be inserted,
namely:-
"(ga) 'fee enhancement' means any increase proposed by an
Un-aided Educational Institution or its associated body in the total fee
chargeable for a given academic year over the total fee charged in
the immediately preceding academic year, expressed as a percentage
of such preceding year's fee;".
3. In the principal Act, in section 3, in sub-section (2), for clause (d) and
the entries relating thereto, the following shall be substituted, namely:-
Amendment in section 3 of Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
"(d) two members, to be Nominated
nominated by the Government Members"
from amongst the educationists
or financial experts or Chartered
Accountants; and
4. In the principal Act, for section 5, the following section shall be
substituted, namely:-
its fee and it may also increase the same after
Power to fix and increase fee.
taking into account the need to generate funds to run for the benefits of students:
Provided that while fixing or increasing fee, the factors
mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 6, shall be kept in view by the 981
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(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
(2) No Un-aided Educational Institution shall enhance its fee by more than
five per cent of the fee charged by it during the immediately preceding academic
year.
(3) Any enhancement of fee under section (2) shall be deemed to have been
validly effected only if the Un-aided Educational Institution has displayed the
revised fee structure at a conspicuous place within the school premises and
on its official website not less than ninety days prior to the commencement of
the academic year.
(4) The Un-aided Educational Institution shall also ensure that the parents or
guardians of the students are duly informed of the revised fee structure through
appropriate modes of communication, including email, electronic message
including WhatsApp messages, circulars, parent-teacher meetings, or any other
mode that may ensure effective notice.
(5) While fixing or increasing fee, an Un-aided Educational Institution shall
not indulge in profiteering and shall not charge capitation fee.
(6) No unaided Educational Institution shall adopt any tactic, device or means,
whether direct or indirect, to compel or induce a student or his or her parent or
guardian to purchase the school uniform from the Un-aided Educational
Institution itself or from any vendor specified, recommended or favoured by
it, and every student, parent or guardian shall be at liberty to purchase the
uniform, conforming to the colour, design and specifications notified and
displayed by the Un-aided Educational Institution under this Act, from any
vendor of his or her choice.
(7) Where an Un-aided Educational Institution prescribes any text book, work
book or other study material for any class, it shall notify and display, at a
conspicuous place in the school premises and on its official website, a list of
not less than three publishers or vendors from whom such text book, work
book or study material may be purchased, for the convenience of students and
parents, and no Un-aided Educational Institution shall compel or induce, directly
or indirectly, any student or his or her parent or guardian to purchase such text
book, work book or study material from the Un-aided Educational Institution
or from any one specific publisher or vendor, and every student, parent or
guardian shall be at liberty to purchase the same, conforming to the title and
edition so notified, from any publisher or vendor of his or her choice." 982
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(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
5. In the principal Act, after section 5, so substituted, the following sections
shall be inserted, namely:-
"5-A. Where the proposed fee enhancement for an academic year
Insertion of sections 5-A and 5-B in Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
exceeds five per cent of the fee charged in the
immediately preceding academic year, the Un-aided
Fee enhancement beyond five per cent.
Educational Institution shall submit the proposal before
the Regulatory Body of the concerned District not later than one
hundred and eighty days before the start of the academic year for
which the enhancement is sought.
(2) Fee enhancement shall not be effected unless prior written approval
is obtained from the Regulatory Body.
(3) The Regulatory Body shall also direct a forensic audit to satisfy
itself that the proposed enhancement is justified on the basis of the
factors specified in sub-section (1) of section 6 and is not motivated
by the desire to profiteer. The forensic audit shall include an audit of
the Un-aided Educational Institution or its associated body.
(4) The Regulatory Body shall dispose of the application for approval
within ninety days from the date of receipt of all the required documents,
and the existing fee structure shall continue during the pendency of
the decision by the Regulatory Body.
5-B. Where the cumulative fee enhancement charged by an Un-aided
Educational Institution over the last thirty-six months
Retrospective refund obligation. from the month of notification of the Punjab Regulation
of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions
(Amendment) Act, 2026 in the Official Gazette, exceeds fifteen per
cent of the fee charged in the earliest of those three academic years, student or, as the case may be, to his or her parent or guardian, the
amount collected in excess of the said permissible cumulative ceiling
within ninety days from the date of such notification:
Provided that where a student has, for any reason whatsoever, the said period of thirty-six months, the permissible cumulative ceiling
applicable for computing the refund payable to such student shall be
five per cent, where such student has studied in the institution for one 983
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
academic year, and ten per cent, where such student has studied in
the institution for two academic years, out of the said thirty-six months,
and the amount refundable to such student shall be computed with
reference to the ceiling so applicable."
6. In the principal Act, for section 8, the following section shall be
substituted, namely:-
Substitution of section 8 of Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
"8. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Regulatory
Body may, either suo motu or on receipt of
information, on being satisfied that an Un-aided
Jurisdiction of Regulatory Body.
Educational Institution has contravened or is contravening any of the
provisions of this Act, cause a forensic audit of the Un-aided Educational
Institution or its associated body to be conducted and may also call
for the relevant record of such Un-aided Educational Institution or its
associated body, in order to verify the information."
7. In the principal Act, in section 14,-
(i) in sub-section (1), for the words, "thirty thousand rupees", "rupees
fifty thousand" and "rupees one lac", the words "rupees fifty
Amendment in section 14 of Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
thousand", "rupees one lac" and "rupees two lac" shall, respectively,
be substituted;
(ii) in sub-section (2), for the words, "sixty thousand rupees", "rupees
one lac" and "rupees two lac", the words "rupees one lac", "rupees
three lac" and "rupees five lac" shall, respectively, be substituted;
(iii) after sub-section (3), the following sub-section shall be inserted,
namely:-
"(3-A) For the purposes of this section, and for determining first,
second and third contraventions, only violations committed within
the preceding five years shall be taken into consideration.";
(iv)for sub-section (4), the following sub-section shall be substituted,
namely:-
"(4) The Regulatory Body shall direct the Un-aided Educational
Institution to refund the fee in excess of the fee as displayed by
such institution to the affected students or their parents:
fails to comply with a refund order within thirty days from the date
of such order, the Regulatory Body may, in addition to any penalty 984
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
imposed under this section, levy a further fine of rupees ten
thousand per day:
Provided further that if the Un-aided Educational
Institution fails to deposit the abovesaid fine and refund within the
specified period, the recognition and/or affiliation granted to the
Un-aided Educational Institution may be withdrawn for non-
compliance with the order of the Regulatory Body."; and
(v) after sub-section (4), the following sub-section shall be added,
namely:-
"(5) No order withdrawing recognition and/or affiliation under this
section shall be passed unless the concerned Un-aided Educational
Institution has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard."
8. In the principal Act, for section 15, the following section shall be substituted,
namely:-
Substitution of section 15 of Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
"15. (1) The Secretary to Government of Punjab, Department of
School Education, shall be the Appellate Authority for hearing
Apeal
appeals against any direction or order passed by the
Regulatory Body under this Act.
(2) Any person or Unaided Educational Institution aggrieved by any direction
or order passed by the Regulatory Body under this Act may, within forty-five
days from the date of communication of such direction or order, file an appeal
before the Appellate Authority:
Provided that the Appellate Authority may entertain an appeal filed
after the expiry of the said period of forty-five days, if it is satisfied that the
appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.
(3) The Appellate Authority shall, after giving the parties a reasonable
opportunity of being heard, dispose of the appeal, as far as possible, within
ninety days from the date of filing thereof, and may confirm, modify or set
aside the direction or order appealed against, or remand the matter to the
Regulatory Body for fresh decision.
(4) The order passed by the Appellate Authority under sub-section (3) shall be
final." 985
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
(BHDR 18, 1948 SAKA)
9. In the principal Act, after section 15, so substituted, the following section
shall be inserted, namely:-
"15-A. (1) The Regulatory Body may, either on an application made by any
Insertion of section 15-A in Punjab Act 47 of 2016.
party affected or suo motu, review any direction or order
Power to review.
passed by it under this Act, where, subsequent to the passing
of such direction or order, new and important facts or evidence have come to
its notice, which, after the exercise of due diligence, were not within the
knowledge of, or could not be produced by, the party affected at the time such
direction or order was passed, or where there is an error apparent on the face
of the record, or for any other sufficient reason:
Provided that no direction or order shall be reviewed under this section
after the expiry of forty-five days from the date of issuance of the order.
Provided further that no direction or order shall be reviewed under
this section unless the parties affected thereby have been given a reasonable
opportunity of being heard.
(2) Any direction or order passed on review under this section shall be
appealable under section 15 in like manner as the original direction or order."
10. (1) The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions Repeal and saving.
(Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 (Punjab Ordinance No. 2 of 2026), is hereby
repealed.
(2) Nothwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under
the principal Act, as amended by the Ordinance referred to in sub-section (1),
shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the principal Act, as amended
by this Act.
Sd/-
B.B.S. TEJI,
Principal Secretary to Government of Punjab,
Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs.
3824/9-2026/Pb. Govt. Press, S.A.S. Nagar