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Contents
1. Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025
2. MERITE Scheme (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education)
Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025
Why in news?
The Delhi Assembly has passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, which regulates private school fee hikes by mandating prior government approval and establishing a three-tier regulatory mechanism.
Key features of the Bill:
- Applicability: All private unaided recognised schools in Delhi.
- Fee Revision: Schools must submit a three-year proposed fee structure in advance; changes permitted only once every three years.
- Approval Process: Mandatory prior approval from a government-appointed committee is required for any fee hike.
- School-level Fee Regulation Committee including five parent representatives.
- District Fee Appellate Committee, with parent representatives, decides on unresolved fee matters.
- State-level Revision Committee, whose decision on fees remains valid for three years.
- Grievance Redressal: Parents can appeal against fee hikes; however, at least 15% of parents at a school must file a complaint for redressal, which critics argue may hinder access to justice.
- First violation: Rs 1 lakh, up to Rs 5 lakh.
- Repeat violations: Up to Rs 10 lakh.
- Student harassment/removal over fees: Rs 50,000 fine per student.
- Repeated non-compliance may lead to de-recognition or government takeover of the school.
- Safeguards: During disputes, schools can only charge the previous year's fees.
- Transparency: Schools must publicly disclose financial records and fee structure.
Overall, the legislation is a major move to control arbitrary fee increases, involve parents in decision-making, mandate audits, and impose strict penalties for violations, aiming to end exploitation and restore sanity to school fee structures in Delhi.
MERITE Scheme (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education)
The MERITE Scheme (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education) is a landmark initiative by the Indian government to transform technical education nationwide.
Why is news?
The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to implement the MERITE scheme in 275 institutions across India — 175 engineering institutes and 100 polytechnic colleges,
Objectives
- Enhance quality, equity, and governance in technical education across all states and union territories.
- Align technical education reforms with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
- Foster multidisciplinary learning, innovation, and research culture within technical institutions.
Coverage
- Will support 275 government and government-aided technical institutions:
- 175 engineering colleges
- 100 polytechnics
- Includes National Institutes of Technology (NITs), state engineering colleges, polytechnics, affiliating technical universities (ATUs).
- Around 7.5 lakh students are expected to benefit.
Key Features
- Central Sector Scheme: Direct fund transfer from a central nodal agency to participating institutions.
- World Bank Collaboration: ?2,100 crore is provided as a World Bank loan, signaling global confidence in the reforms.
- Multidisciplinary Curriculum: Guidelines for rolling out multidisciplinary programs and blended learning formats.
- Digital Strategies: Focus on digitalization, improved online access, and infrastructure upgrades.
- Skill Alignment: Launch of labour market-oriented courses, internships, and industry-relevant training.
- Faculty Development: Emphasis on training, especially future academic administrators with a focus on empowering women faculty.
- Research and Innovation: Support for research hubs, incubation centers, skill labs, maker spaces, and language workshops.
- Quality Assurance and Governance: Higher accreditation rates for institutions, better institutional governance, and updated assessment practices.
Implementation and Impact
- Premier institutions such as IITs, IIMs, AICTE, NBA will guide and oversee the scheme’s rollout.
- State and UT departments managing technical education are key stakeholders in implementation.
- Main expected outcomes:
- Improved employability for technical graduates via internships and placements.
- Stronger research and innovation ecosystem.
- Enhanced learning environments and inclusion, especially for women and marginalized groups.
- Broad curriculum modernization and support for future skills.
Challenges
- Curriculum integration and maintaining depth across multiple disciplines.
- Resource allocation, especially faculty expertise and instructional materials.
- Evaluating learning outcomes for multidisciplinary programs, as traditional methods may not suffice.
Key Ways MERITE Will Enhance Multidisciplinary Technical Education
Flexible Curriculum Design
MERITE will promote curricula allowing students to select courses across various disciplines, fostering a broader and more holistic educational experience. This equips students to solve complex, real-world problems that often require knowledge from multiple fields.
Interdepartmental Collaboration
The scheme incentivizes institutions to encourage faculty to work together across departments, leading to interdisciplinary teaching and research. This breaks traditional silos and nurtures innovation and cross-pollination of ideas.
Project-Based Learning and Research
MERITE integrates experiential learning methods such as internships, cross-disciplinary research projects, and entrepreneurship programs. Students work on challenges that incorporate technical, social, and economic perspectives, preparing them for dynamic work environments.
Prioritizing Equity and Gender Inclusion
Special outreach initiatives for female students in STEM fields aim to make technical education more inclusive, supporting diversity and bridging long-standing gender gaps.
Building Multidisciplinary Universities
The scheme aligns with NEP 2020 recommendations to create universities with wide-ranging subject offerings, giving students greater exposure to varied disciplines and perspectives.
Addressing Skill Gaps
MERITE targets skill gaps highlighted in recent studies, such as reasoning, communication, and teamwork, by weaving these competencies into multidisciplinary educational models.
Expected Impact
- Broader Career Opportunities: Graduates with multidisciplinary backgrounds will access a wider range of career paths.
- Global Competitiveness: Indian graduates will be better prepared to meet international standards in innovation and problem solving.
- Sustainable Development: Multidisciplinary technical education will help address national priorities like sustainability, digital transformation, and public health.
By focusing on these strategies, MERITE is expected to set a benchmark for technical institutions and align India's education system with global best practices, ultimately producing professionals who are not only technically proficient but also adaptable, innovative, and equipped to address complex societal challenges.
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