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Private higher educational institutions (HEIs) will come under a "progressive regime of fees determination". While the regime will empower the private HEIs to set fees for their programmes independently, this freedom will come with a social responsibility of ensuring that at least 20% of students are able to attend through freeships and an additional 30% through significant scholarships.

As per the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 being finalised, all fees and charges set by these institutions will be transparently and fully disclosed, and there shall be no arbitrary increases in these fees/charges during the period of enrolment of each student.

According to a source in the ministry of human resource development who is part of the team finalising the document, the new policy will put in place a mechanism for fixing of fees with an upper limit. "A new fee structure will be developed for different types of institutions depending on their accreditation so that individual institutions are not adversely affected, while at the same time curbing commercialisation," said the official.

As per the proposed policy, the new fee regime will ensure reasonable recovery of cost, while at the same time will also ensure the HEIs discharge their social obligations. "50% of the students at any given private institution will have some sort of scholarships assistance, which include ensuring at least 20% of students on freeships," added the official.

Placed under "Transforming the Regulatory System of Higher Education", and in the sub-section "Curbing Commercialisation of Education", the new policy envisages multiple mechanisms with checks and balances will combat and stop the commercialisation of higher education. While extending greater autonomy to the board of governors of the institution, the members will be be held accountable for it not being a commercial entity with "consequences for members of the Board in the event of failure to do so."

Moreover, all HEIs - public and private - shall be treated on par within the new regulatory regime, which is based on common guidelines of good governance, financial stability and security, educational outcomes, and transparency of disclosures. These common minimal guidelines will enable all such Acts to establish private HEIs, thus enabling a common regulatory regime for private and public HEIs, as per the proposed NEP 2020.