Bhubaneswar: The parents' association in Odisha has strongly condemned the move of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to increase the fees of Class 10 and 12 board examinations for SC and ST students. The CBSE on Sunday announced hike in exam fee from Rs 50 to Rs 1,200 and from Rs 750 to Rs 1500 for SC and ST and General students respectively.
The parents' association has also demanded intervention of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik into the matter and immediate withdrawal of the fee hike decision.
"Besides the exam fee, CBSE has also imposed a late fee of Rs 2000 per candidate. It is illegal to impose late fee for poor and needy students. For appearing in an additional subject in Class X-XII, both SC & ST and General students will now have to pay Rs 300. Earlier, it was not charged for SC & ST students. We strongly oppose the increase examination fee of CBSE," said the parents' association or the Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha.
The association has also urged the State Mass Education Minister and other people's representatives to oppose the move of the Modi government terming the move as unethical.
The board had reportedly notified the changes in the fees last week and asked the schools who had already begun the registration process and charged students as per the old fee structure, to now collect the difference in amount.