Gujarat’s private-school administrators are facing conflicting instructions from two major associations over how to respond to pending regulatory issues and the recently published Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (Amendment) Bill-2026, with one group calling for non-cooperation and another urging schools to wait for discussions with the government.
The Self-Financed School Administrators’ Mahamandal has directed its member schools to begin a non-cooperation movement, saying repeated representations to the Education Department and the state government have not produced a positive decision. The organisation has also objected to provisions in the recently published amendment bill that it says concern matters not applicable to private schools.
As part of its instructions, the association has asked schools not to submit proposals or affidavits seeking fee increases before the Fee Regulatory Committee in any of the four FRC zones until further directions are issued. It has also called for complete non-cooperation with orders and circulars issued by local offices, as well as with government activities of various kinds.
The move places the FRC process at the centre of the dispute. Private schools seeking approval for fee-related proposals would ordinarily need to engage with the applicable regulatory mechanism. A decision by member schools to withhold submissions could therefore affect the timing of fee applications and the administration of school finances, although the report does not specify how many schools have adopted the instruction.
The State School Administrators’ Mahamandal has taken a different position. It has sought time to discuss 10 major issues with the government, including the Education Amendment Bill-2026, the FRC framework, reimbursement under the Right to Education Act, administrative autonomy for schools, simplification of compliance requirements, a code of conduct for students and parents, and the safety of school staff.
According to the organisation, the government has assured it that these concerns will be discussed positively and that appropriate decisions will be considered. It has consequently appealed to member schools to remain patient until the final meeting with the government and its outcome. The association said further steps would be taken after that meeting and consultation with school administrators.
The opposing instructions have left private-school administrators across Gujarat uncertain about whether to suspend fee-related submissions and other government-linked activities or continue with dialogue until the proposed meeting takes place. The immediate issue is not only the disagreement between the associations but also the absence of a single position for schools dealing with the FRC and other compliance processes.
The report does not provide the date of the government’s final meeting, the text of the disputed bill provisions or details of any official order responding to the non-cooperation call. The next formal meeting and the decisions taken after consultations are expected to determine how the associations and their member schools proceed.
