India’s CBSE has rolled back the hike in exam registration fees in just two days

• Two days after introducing fee hikes for the general and reserved categories, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rolled back the fee to ₹ 50 for the Scheduled Caste(SC)/ Scheduled Tribes(ST) students.
  
• However, this is only for the students studying in the Delhi government schools.
  
• Last week, the board had increased the exam registration fee for SC and ST students by 24 times, making it ₹1,200 from the existing ₹50.
  
• The board also doubled up the exam fee for class 10th and 12th students of general category to ₹1,500.

Two days after introducing fee hikes for the general and reserved categories, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rolled back the fee to ₹ 50 for the Scheduled Caste(SC)/ Scheduled Tribes(ST) students, IANS reported.

However, this is only for the students studying in the Delhi government schools. And the centre announced that the rest of the amount shall be paid by the Delhi government.

The decision came after the Human Resource and Development Ministry (MHRD) directed the board to restore the previous fee.

"On the direction of HRD Minister, CBSE has decided to restore the practice of depositing only ₹50 on CBSE registration portal from SC/ST students of Delhi govt schools. For the remaining amount, CBSE will take up reimbursement of increased fees directly with Delhi state government after finalising the list of candidates, news agency IANS reported quoting a statement from CBSE.

Then proposed fee hikes

Last week, the board had increased the exam registration fee for SC and ST students by 24 times, making it ₹1,200 from the existing ₹50. The board also doubled up the exam fee for class 10th and 12th students of general category to ₹1,500. Earlier, the registration fee for general category students was ₹750.

This is after five years that the board has increased the examination fee, after it faced a loss of ₹250 crore. The board has spent nearly ₹500 crore on the 10th and 12th class exams in the last year, while the earnings stood at ₹ 250 crore, The Hindu reported.

Given that, several student bodies and parents have been protesting the move. The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation also called for a nationwide protest. The Telangana Parents Association (PTA) is seeking the government to withdraw from the increased exam fees.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik also urged the Human Resource Ministry to roll back the fee hikes.

“The CBSE has recently caused a sharp hike in the examination fees of Class X and Class XII students, causing resentment among parents and other stakeholders. The abnormal rise, specifically in the fees in respect of SC and ST students by 24 times has come as a shock,” Patnaik said.

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