The Directorate of Education, Delhi Government, has requested the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to waive the Class 10 and Class 12 board exam fees. This request comes on the heels of several parents expressing their inability to pay the board exam fees due to the loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Delhi Government has asked all the government schools, government aided schools, Patrachar Vidyalayas of the Directorate of Education, schools under Delhi Cantonment Board, Department of Social Welfare and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) for the current Academic Session 2020-21 to waive the Class 10 and Class 12 board exam fees. However, the board has expressed its inability to waive the Class 10 and Class 12 board exam fees.
“Therefore, all the Heads of Govt. Schools may entertain the willing Persons/Organizations for the payment of CBSE Board Examination Fee. They must maintain proper record of such transactions which includes acknowledgement to the donor and information to the parents whose ward's fee has been paid,” read a Delhi government statement.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday also issued notice over a petition against the rise in the examination fees demanded by the education baord.
A division bench of the high court presided by Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the CBSE, Delhi Government and the Central government over a plea filed by an association called the Parents Forum for Meaningful Education.
The plea filed through advocates PS Sharda and Kshitij Sharda said the CBSE for the year 2019-2020 arbitrarily enhanced its examination fee for Class X and Class XII Board examination by two-fold as compared to the year 2017- 2018 and several folds as compared to the year 2014-2015.
The fee effectively translates to about Rs 2,400 in case of practical science and additional subject option case and increases by 2400% in case of sc/st students, the petitioner said.
(With inputs from IANS)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)