Rs 5,000 to register for Class VIII exams: Haryana board to private schools

Tribune News Service

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, February 9

In a new development in the ongoing row over the board exam of Class VIII, Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH) has asked all private schools affiliated to Central Board of School Education (CBSE) and other boards to deposit Rs 5,000 as registration fee and Rs 100 per student as enrolment fee for academic session 2021-22.

The Progressive Private Schools Association, a group of private schools affiliated to the CBSE, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the move. The case will come up for hearing tomorrow.

The state has more than 2,000 private schools affiliated to the CBSE and other boards where over 1.5 lakh students study in Class VIII.

“We oppose the BSEH’s directives asking private schools to get registered with it by depositing Rs 5,000 as it will mean dual affiliation, which is neither practical nor feasible. Moreover, the BSEH’s bylaws also clearly state that no student of any school affiliated to any board other than BSEH can be enrolled for board exams. Hence, the BSEH is also violating its own bylaws. Hence, our association has challenged the move in the High Court,” said Anil Kaushik, president, Progressive Private Schools Association.

Kaushik maintained since the students would have to pay the fee for the board exams, it would put burden on parents, majority of whom were already facing financial crisis due to Covid pandemic.

SS Gusain, president, Haryana Progressive School Conference, said the BSEH’s move was nothing but a means to earn hefty money from private schools affiliated to the CBSE and other boards in the name of registration and enrolment fee for the exams of Class VIII.

“Authorising the BSEH to conduct Class VIII exams for all schools located in the state is also contempt of High Court as the state government withdrew the power and authority from the BSEH to hold any exams and also informed the court about it,” he added.

Ved Prakash Yadav, Vice-Chairman, BSEH, while denying the allegations, said every step had been taken as per law. “The SCERT has authorised the BSEH to conduct the exams. Hence, the exercise of registering all schools and enrolling their students is necessary to hold the exams. The registration and enrolment fee is as per already determined structure,” he added.

Hearing today

The Progressive Private Schools Association, a group of private schools affiliated to the CBSE, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the move. The case will come up for hearing on Thursday.

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