Cong demands BJP to take back CBSE's decision of board fees hike

Accusing the BJP of targeting poor and the SC/ST students by increasing class 10 and 12 board examination fees, the Congress on Monday demanded that it take back the CBSE's decision.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said after according step-motherly treatment to Dalits and tribals, the BJP government is now targeting the young generation by raising the fees of board examinations.

This is yet another attempt of the BJP government to tarnish B. R. Ambedkar's dream of "be educated, struggle".

"We demand that the BJP government take back the CBSE decision to raise exam fees, failing which it would be clear that this government does not want to fulfil Ambedkar's dream of "be educated, struggle" for the oppressed classes in the society," he said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday increased the fees of class 10 and class 12 board examinations by up to Rs 1,150, the first hike in the last five years. The fees for general category students for both Class 10 and 12 were doubled from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 for five subjects.

Surjewala, in a statement, claimed exploitation of Dalits and tribals earlier increased during the BJP rule, now it wants to put an end to cheap education by raising the examination fee by 250 per cent.

"The CBSE has raised the examination fee for SC, ST students of Class 10 and 12 by 250 per cent. The fees for ordinary students has also been raised by more than 100 per cent," he alleged.

"The Constitution of India has made to help SCs/STs to fight against the social injustice and exploitation meted out to them, but the BJP government has gone in 'reverse gear'," he said.

The Congress leader also alleged that this government is targeting the Dalits and the tribals by ending theScheduled Castes Sub Plan in the budget and claimed that the cases of atrocities under the BJP rule have risen across the country.