Chandigarh, June 4 -- Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said fee hike by private schools will be capped at 5% per annum, saying it will provide long-awaited relief to lakhs of families across the state. He said a law will be introduced in the next assembly session, saying it will be the country's toughest law against arbitrary fee hikes by private schools and will apply to all private schools across Punjab. Significantly, the 5% ceiling will cover not only tuition fees but all mandatory charges and funds collected by schools, closing avenues that institutions have often used to burden parents with additional costs. He said after the tragic incident in Amritsar, he received many calls from parents regarding arbitrary fee hikes by private schools. A 17-year-old student in Amritsar allegedly committed suicide recently after facing mental harassment by her school over pending dues. FULL REPORT ON PAGE 2...