Ranchi: The first meeting of the district fee regulation committee, formed by the Ranchi administration to regulate private school fees, on Monday outlined strict norms on hikes, transparency and grievance redressal.Private schools in Ranchi will now be allowed to increase fees by up to 10% only under defined norms, with any higher hike requiring approval from the committee, as part of new regulations aimed at curbing arbitrary fee practices.The administration also made it mandatory for schools to disclose detailed fee structures, form internal fee committees and ensure transparency in charges related to tuition, books, transport and uniforms. The measures are intended to reduce undue financial burden on parents and enforce accountability.The meeting, chaired by deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri, was held under provisions of the Jharkhand Education Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 2017, and was attended by officials, school representatives and parent members.An official statement said the committee aims to “reduce unnecessary financial burden on parents and make education more accessible and equitable”.Also, schools have been asked to submit class-wise fee details for the past three academic sessions and for 2026-27.“Fee hike can only be done as per provisions of the Act. There is a clear cap of 10%, and any deviation will invite scrutiny. Reference or additional books cannot be made compulsory, and schools must follow prescribed norms,” district education superintendent Badal Raj said.The administration also made it mandatory for schools to form fee committees and parent-teacher associations (PTAs), and display related information on websites and notice boards. Uniform rules have been tightened, barring frequent changes and restricting schools from forcing purchases from specific vendors.Transport charges will fall under overall fee regulations, while safety norms in school buses must be strictly followed. Importantly, no student can be barred from examinations over fee issues or charged extra during exams.For grievance redressal, parents can submit complaints at the district office or via ‘Abua Saathi’ WhatsApp helpline (9430328080). “Complaints will be addressed promptly through a structured mechanism,” the official statement read.Bhajantri cautioned that violations could attract penalties ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh, with stricter action in serious cases.