Punjab: Return fee of exams never held, says Akali Dal

The SAD said ₹94 crore collected for conducting exams for the 2020-21 session should be returned to students as papers could not be conducted due to the Covid-19 pandemic

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday asked chief minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) does not fleece students, and demanded the return of ₹94 crore collected for conducting examinations that were never held owing to the pandemic.

Former education minister and SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said the Punjab CM should ensure the state education board does not turn education into a commercial organisation.

Former education minister Daljit Singh Cheema, who is also the party spokesperson, said the CM was trying to regulate the functioning of private schools, but should also ensure the state education board does not turn education into a commercial organisation.

He said ₹94 crore collected for conducting the examinations for the 2020-21 academic session should be returned to the students as papers could not be conducted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The excuse by the Board that it had printed the papers for the examination does not hold any water. Printing costs are only a small part of the exercise. If necessary, a small amount can be deducted from ₹1,100 taken from students and the remaining portion should be returned to them,” said the Akali leader.

The SAD leader said it was also shocking that after charging students for services it had not given to them, the education board was now demanding ₹800 from each student for a hard copy of the results. “This is unheard of. Students should be given the certificate for free as they have already been charged examination fee,” said the former minister.