CBSE fee hike row: ‘Unconstitutional’, pan India parents association demands scrapping of new exam fees

“There are lots of students who could not get admissions in Delhi government schools after failing in Class 8, and they could not continue their education as the education fees in open schools are quite high. The board’s decision to make the exam fees parallel to that of other central boards including NIOS will act as a deterrent for the growth of elementary education in the country,” said Aggarwal.

The association will send a letter to the CBSE chairman and the Human Resource and Development (HRD) ministry raising their grievances. The association will also file a public interest litigation (PIL) at Delhi High Court challenging the board’s decision, said the All India Parents Association head.

The Delhi Parents Association has also criticised the board’s decisions, saying, “The recent steep hike at board examination registration fee is not at all beneficial for education system as well as our nation.”

The parents association has decided to raise their grievances with the board asking them to scrap the new fee structure which if implemented will refrain lots of students from taking exams due to its excessive fees, said Aprajita G Gautam, president, Delhi Parents Association.

In the letter, the parents association raised concerns saying, “The steep hike of fees will force lots of students not to take the board examinations for 2019-20.”

Excerpts from the Delhi Parents Association’s letter to the board

‘We would like to draw your attention towards Steep Fee Hike pertaining to Board Examination Registration for both Class X and XII students across India. CBSE has increased said fee from Rs.50 to Rs.1200 for SC and ST students and even double the fee from Rs.750 to Rs.1500 for general category Students.

Keeping in mind harassment of Private Schools on Fee Hikes each year on School Fees, Parents as well as Students are struggling with Fee Hikes where CBSE is unable to tame Private Schools.

Existing guidelines of CBSE on Fee topics are ignored by Private Schools and even if Parents raise concern on Fee Hikes are unattended by CBSE. Now this steep fee hike on Board Examination is additional burden for both Students and Parents which would make life difficult for them as they would unable to pay this new amount.

CBSE has always worked for the benefits of students and make every efforts to safeguard rights of students but this new development on Steep Hike at Board Examination Registration Fee is not at all beneficial for Education System as well as our nation. On one hand, CBSE is keen to promote education with students from villages to cities for Nation Building Exercise but on the other hand, pushes for Fee Hike, which is totally illogical keeping in mind interest of students.

We foresee major drop out of Students for both X and XII Class across India in coming up Board Examination for 2019-20 due to this steep hike, hence, would request immediately ROLL BACK of increased Fee for betterment of students to retain themselves to continue their studies.’

Why CBSE has increased Class 10, 12 board exam fees?

The board which hiked the board examination fees 24 times after a gap of five years clarified saying, “The board examination fees has been increased after five years and it is similar to the other central boards including the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) which charges Rs 2000, 1750 and 1300 for male, female and SC/ST candidates respectively.”

The board recently notified the increase of fees for the board examinations. According to the new regulations, the examination fees of Class 10 and 12 students belonging to SC/ ST categories has been hiked to Rs 1,200 from Rs 50, while the amount has been doubled for the general category who will now have to pay Rs 1,500.

The students enrolled in CBSE schools abroad will have to pay Rs 10,000 for five subjects for both Class 10 and 12. Earlier it was Rs 5000. For them, the fees for an additional subject in Class 12 has been fixed at Rs 2,000, as against Rs 1,000 earlier.