'no profit no loss, as CBSE exam fee hike: HRD Minister

The examination fee has been increased by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on 'no profit no loss' principle, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said on Thursday.

"The Board has increased the examination fees of class X and XII examination 2020 for all students on 'no profit no loss' principle," he told Rajya Sabha in response to a written question.

The CBSE had in August announced a hike in board exam fees across categories.

The CBSE had notified an increase in the examination fees for Classes 10 and 12, registration fees for Classes 9 and 11 and migration fees. The fees for general category students for Classes 10 and 12 were doubled from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 for five subjects.

The Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students, who were paying Rs 375 earlier, will now pay Rs 1200 for five subjects. Under a special arrangement in the national capital, these students were only paying Rs 50, while the Delhi government was paying the rest of the amount as subsidy.

Following the CBSE notification, the Delhi government had announced that students at state-run and aided schools will not have to pay any fees for class 10 and 12 CBSE examinations and the cost will be born by the city dispensation.

The CBSE officials had then claimed that a deficit of over Rs 200 crore in conducting board examination for class 10 and 12 has forced the CBSE to hike fees.

"Early board results, measures to make examination leak-proof and error-free evaluation have imposed a financial burden on the CBSE," a senior board official had said.