Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Plea Seeking Waiver Of Exam Fee Of Class X & XII Students In The Capital Amid Covid19

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea seeking waiver of payment of exam fees for students of Class X & XII in wake of the pandemic situation.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy & MR Shah stated that the appropriate authority should be approached.

The plea arose out of grievances of seeking students of classes 10 and 12 in the current academic year in view of COVID-19 and financial problems being faced by some parents.

The instant petition filed had been filed by an NGO 'Social Jurist' against a September 28 order of the Delhi High Court, seeking directions to CBSE to grant exemption from payment of CBSE Exams Fee in pandemic crisis to over 30 lakh class X/XII students of CBSE affiliated schools.

"How can the court direct the government to do this? You should give a representation to the government... Dismissed," the bench said.

Advocate Ashok Aggarwal told the Court that fee should at least be waived off for Government school students in the capital, considering that they do not pay school fees either.

Aggarwal also told Court that there had been a rise in the examination fee since last year. 

"CBSE was charging only INR 375 from Class X and INR 600 from Class XII for exams earlier," Aggarwal said.

The Court was however, not inclined to interfere.

The high court had asked Delhi Government and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to treat the PIL as a representation and take a decision "in accordance with law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the facts of the case" within three weeks.

The instant appeal averred that due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the income of parents has either disappeared or declined to such a level that it has become difficult for them to arrange even two meal for their families.

It said the high court's order has resulted in denial of relief to 30 lakh students in the country and three lakh are in Delhi alone.

The plea, filed through lawyer Ashok Agarwal, said either CBSE be asked to waive off the exams fee or the Centre should pay the money from the PM Cares Fund in the country.

It may be stated here that till 2018-19 the CBSE Examination fee of students of class X/ XII was very nominal but in the year 2019-20 respondent CBSE increased Examination fee in manifold.

"In the current year 2020-21, CBSE has demanded Examination fee from Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,800 from students of class X and Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,400 from class XII students depending upon number of subjects, practical, etc, the plea stated.

In the last academic year, the Delhi government had paid examination fees to the CBSE of students of class X and XII, but in 2020-21, it has refused to do so citing financial crunch, it said.

The NGO sought direction to the CBSE to waive the fee or direct the Centre to pay to CBSE from the PM Care Fund or from any other available resources.