The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been criticised over a fee hike on board exams which, according to a parents' body, is "unconstitutional".
The education board has clarified that this is its first exam fee increase in five years.
"The Board had not increased the fee in the last five years" it said.
"This hike has brought CBSE fee at par with other central board NIOS, which charges Rs 1,800 for male candidates, Rs 1,450 for females and Rs 1,200 for SC/ST candidates," the CBSE said in a statement on the fee hike.
Students sitting for Class 10 and Class 12 board exams have to pay Rs 1,500 each for five subjects and Rs 300 extra for each optional subject, under the new rule. The rule is same for the registration for both class 10th and class 12th board exams.
Some news reports had suggested that the fee had been increased by 24 times for Delhi government school students who belong to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe categories. This angered students of Delhi government schools and their parents. Currently, these students pay Rs 50 as towards the fee and the rest is subsidised by the Delhi government.
The CBSE has clarified that it will now take the entire Rs 1,200 fee directly from students and the Delhi government can have an internal arrangement with schools to subsidize that amount.
"Earlier in Delhi, SC/ST students used to pay Rs 50 and the Delhi government paid the rest. Now, the CBSE will take Rs 1,200 entirely from the students. If the Delhi government reimburses them or pays for them, it's an internal arrangement between schools and the Delhi government," said Sanyam Bhardwaj, Controller of Examinations, CBSE to news agency (PTI).
The fees for migration certificate, which is is issued only to those candidates who have passed an examination of the Board or to those who have been placed in compartment in order to enable them to seek admission for a further course of study, has also been increased to Rs 350 from Rs 150.
"We demand immediate withdrawal of this fee hike as it is against the right to education of students. Such move on part of the CBSE would adversely affect the education of children of the masses," Ashok Aggarwal, who heads the All India Parents Association, said on the fee hike.
Click here for more Education News
