The Jan Jagaran Abhiyan, Ganjam has severely criticised the Union Government for not allocating adequate funds in its Annual Budget for the education sector and, instead, increasing examination fees for CBSE students of Classes-X and XII.
Addressing a Press meet here on Friday, Abhiyan State president Madhusudan Sethi said there is no justification in increasing examination fees by 24 times from Rs 50 to Rs 1,200 for SC and ST students and fixing Rs 1,500 for General category students.
“The CBSE has increased the examination fees because the Union Government has decreased allocation in the Annual Budget for education sector and has not made any allocation for development of basic and quality education,” pointed out Sethi.
He demanded that the CBSE withdraw the fee hike soon and stop private schools from taking exorbitant fees and donations from students.
Abhiyan district president Ramesh Behera urged both the Union and the State Governments to take states to stop examination paper leaks and irregularities in evaluation of answer sheets.
Social worker Kishore Patra demanded that the State Government to provide subsidies to over 200 CBSE Board schools and stop increase in examination fee hike.
Among others, social workers Rajendra Dal Behera and Prafulla Das were present.
