HC asks CBSE to take decision on refunding board exam fee in 8 weeks

The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to take a decision within eight weeks on the full or partial refund of exam fees of classes 10 and 12, the tests for which were cancelled following the second wave of Covid-19 in the country

The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to take a decision within eight weeks on the full or partial refund of exam fees of classes 10 and 12, the tests for which were cancelled following the second wave of Covid-19 in the country.

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Justice Prateek Jalan ordered the CBSE to consider a petition by Deepa Joseph, mother of a Class 10 student studying in a CBSE-affiliated school in the city, who paid ₹2,100 as examination fee.

The CBSE opposed the plea, saying that the exams were cancelled after the preparations were made for the exams.

Advocate Rupesh Kumar submitted that CBSE was a self-financing body and its expenditure was principally funded by the examination fees collected from students appearing for Class 10 and 12 board examinations. He added there is no direct correlation between the physical conduct of board exams and fees charged from students.

Advocate Robin Raju, appearing for Joseph, contended that since the board examinations have been cancelled, at least some part of the examination fee ought to be refunded to the students.

The court disposed of the matter with the direction to the CBSE to take a decision on the representation by Joseph for the refund of the examination fees. It also recorded that the parties will have no objection to justice Jalan hearing the petition even though he will be a beneficiary on account of his son being in Class 12.