More than 70% of private schools in Madhya Pradesh have flouted a state law requiring them to make their fee structures public, raising questions over lax enforcement by the government.

Under the Madhya Pradesh Niji Vidyalaya (Fees Tatha Sambandhit Vishayon Ka Viniyaman) Act, 2017, all private schools—regardless of the board they are affiliated to—must disclose their class-wise fee structure, including tuition, laboratory, and transport charges, as well as the percentage hike from the previous academic year. 

The information is to be uploaded on the government portal dpimp.in, accessible to parents and the public. Schools are charged a portal fee of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 depending on student strength, with non-compliance attracting a penalty five times that amount along with an additional fine.

Despite this clear mandate, only 10,304 of the 34,779 private schools in the state—just 29.62%—have uploaded their fee details for the 2025–26 academic session.

The remaining 24,475 schools have ignored the rule altogether. Even some of Bhopal’s most prominent institutions, including Delhi Public School (Neelbad), Orion International School (Bawadiya Kalan), Billabong High International (Neelbad), Sanskar Valley School (Neelbad), and Bal Bhawan School (Shamla Hills), have failed to comply.

Last month, the state government relaxed rules for low-fee schools charging less than Rs 25,000 annually, exempting them from uploading detailed fee structures.

Such schools now only need to submit an affidavit declaring their fee amount and are free from certain regulations on uniforms and books. However, the relaxation has done little to improve overall compliance.