The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central Board of Secondary education (CBSE) on a petition against increasing the board exam fee for Class 10 and 12 for the year 2021. HC also instructed the board to seek a permanent solution relating to exam fees that are demanded from students appearing in the board examination.
A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan has called for a reply on the petition filed by a registered society, Parents Forum for Meaningful Education from the Centre, the Delhi government and the CBSE. The further hearing with regards to the matter is scheduled for November 12.
The petitioner society, represented by advocates PS Sharda and Kshitij Sharda, said that the CBSE for the year 2019-2020 had unreasonably increased its board exam fee for Class 10 and Class 12. The fee hike is double to that of the year 2017-2018 and several folds as compared to 2014-2015.
The plea said, "Issue a writ in nature of Mandamus, certiorari, quo-warranto or such other appropriate writ order or direction to the respondents as deemed fit and just by this court to direct Delhi government to permanently sort out the matter of payment of the fee for students in its school for the board examination for Classes 10 and Class 12 with other respondents CBSE and Centre to protect their eligibility to take the Board Examination conducted by the CBSE for the Classes 10 and 12.”
The petition has requested the establishment of a committee to examine and submit a report to the court. The report should consist of all the necessary information and reasons for their implementation relating to fixation of norms of fee for board exams by CBSE for the children studying in government schools.
The plea seeks to issue necessary directions in matters of fee demanded from children for the academic year 2020-2021. This is to make sure that no injustice is done to any child who is eligible for writing the board exam for the year 2021 for Classes 10 and 12 on account of non-payment of fee.
"The children have a right to education guaranteed by the constitution. A fair examination is the culmination of that process. The Respondents cannot conduct their affairs in any manner as works prejudicial to the interests of the students," the plea said.
The plea also mentions how Delhi government has failed to sort out the matter related to fees hike which was promised last year but this year it has declined to notice the arbitrary fees rise thereby abandoning lakhs of children in Classes 10 and 12 in its schools.
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The plea further adds, "This has directly hit children hailing from economically poor sections of the society studying in the government and aided schools in Class 10 and Class 12 under Delhi government and are consequently imperilled and if not rescued will get left abandoned which cannot be acceptable to any responsible state.”
The plea also adds that these can be achieved by respondents by sorting out the extreme fee rise among themselves or any similar inter adjustment between themselves since they are accountable and bound by the same constitution.