FICCI Arise launches Model Self-Financed Independent Schools (Recognition and Fee Regulation) Code Version 4.0

New Delhi, May 30, 2023: FICCI Alliance for Re-Imagining School Education (FICCI ARISE) in collaboration with Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co launched the fourth edition of Model Self - Financed Independent Schools (Recognition and Fee Regulation) Code for states to regulate the establishment and operation of new schools and recognition of existing schools as self-financed independent schools. The report was released during the 2nd FICCI ARISE Members’ Meeting held on Monday at New Delhi. 

Most states do not have defined legislation for self-financed independent schools. Legislations governing government schools mostly cover self-financed independent schools. There have been several pronouncements by the apex court and various high courts in this regard. All this leads to overlaps and ambiguities that promote misguided activism and litigation. Educators have to unfortunately deal with this regulatory maze almost on a daily basis. Quality becomes the victim as educators’ time gets diverted from classroom teaching to fixing avoidable regulatory issues. 

Speaking about the study, Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman, FICCI ARISE said, ‘’Equity, Quality, Excellence and Partnerships are the core four pillars of this code. The Code prescribes a balanced framework that provides adequate autonomy to self-financed independent schools to excel and renders adequate powers to the state to regulate them. Parents shall be the winners who would then have a vast variety of high-quality schools of different genres to choose from for their wards.’’

 The Code was originally released in 2017 that has evolved overtime based on consultative process with stakeholders and authorities in various States. This updated version 4.0 is aligned with National Education Policy 2020, similar acts in States such as Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and the recent verdicts delivered by various courts. 

The FICCI ARISE report pushes for urgent and bold reforms, including unleashing the private sector's potential in improving the country's learning outcomes. Recognizing the contribution of Self-financed independent schools Mr Praveen Raju, Co-Chairman, FICCI ARISE in his remarks said, ‘’As against any major country across the world where the percentage of students attending unaided independent schools barely reaches the double digit, over 43 per cent of Indian children study in private schools. Several such schools have been instrumental in introducing new age pedagogy and classroom practices that are in tune with the present times and equip todays’ students with the right skillset and acumen to take on the challenges of this new and rapidly changing world. Given the demographic state of our country, it is important to further encourage long term and visionary ‘Edupreneurs’ to enter the sector and upgrade/build high quality 21st century ready schools.’’