Hyderabad: Parents are being charged `2,500 to `3,000 per child as exam fees in CBSE schools, after the fee hike was announced by the Central Board of Secondary Education last week. No receipt is given to students for paying the exam fees for classes X and XII.
A parent whose child studies in a well-known school in the city said, “I was not aware of the new schedule for the fee. Later when a few parents circulated the exact amount on social media, I realised that we had paid more.”
Many parents are discussing the exam fee on social media groups, asking why certain schools are overcharging and why no one has formally lodged a complaint.
With classes X and XII being crucial years, parents are not willing to raise a hue and cry, fearing that doing so would affect the student, said another parent.
In the general category, the fee for five subjects is Rs 1,500 per student. The CBSE has six subjects and the vocational subject is extra with a fee of `300. There is also a migration fee of `350 per student.
Telangana Parents Association president Nagati Narayana said, “The fee hike is 100 per cent in the general category across the spectrum. It has increased from `750 to `1,500 per student for five subjects and the additional fees have increased from `150 to `300 per student. This a burden for parents as many of them send their children to CBSE schools for a good education and this kind of a fee structure can be a deterrent.”
A few parents have spoken about overcharging but as there are no receipts given by schools it is difficult to verify the exact amount that is being collected.
Parents are being asked to check the CBSE website and refer to it before making payment in any of the categories.
Mr Achyut Rao, president of the Balala Hakkula Sangham, explained, “The exam fee hike will discourage those from the low economic strata. The exam fee of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students has increased from `50 to `1,200 per student. This will not encourage others to opt for these schools from the next academic year.”
