Odisha Parents Federation demands CBSE and CISCE for return of exam fees

BHUBANESWAR: With the central boards declaring results of Class X and XII on the basis of alternative evaluation criteria, members of Odisha Parents Federation on Wednesday urged the CBSE and CISCE to return the examination fees collected from students.

The federation in its letter to CBSE Chairperson Manoj Ahuja stated that around 55,000 Class X and XII students from the State had deposited exam fees. For Class X, the CBSE had collected Rs 300 per paper for the annual board exams. 

The general category students paid Rs 1,500 while students belonging to SC and ST communities were asked to pay Rs 1,200 for 5 subjects. Similarly, students at Class XII level had paid Rs 2,000 towards examination fee, while those who were unable to pay the fee on time were also asked to pay it with fine.

The parents also pointed out the same issue in another letter to CISCE Chairman G Immanuel. Around 5,000 students pursuing their Class X and XII in CISCE affiliated schools in the State had paid the exam fees. The federation demanded that the fee collected by the CBSE and CISCE be refunded immediately as parents of many students are under severe financial distress due to Covid-19 pandemic. 

They said keeping the fee by the central boards will be ‘illegal’ as results of Class X and XII have been declared this year through alternative assessment method. Federation president Basudev Bhatt said the parents would stage protests in the coming days if CBSE and CISCE continue their silence over the matter.