Srinagar 30 June: 11th Class reappear students from Kashmir Division, are seeking complete or partial refund of examination fee, since the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) promoted all eligible students to class 12th.
Several 11th class students from different districts of the valley reached out news agency and said that since they are being promoted to class 12th, JKBOSE must refund the examination fee submitted by them for reappearing in exams.We submitted the permission cum admission forms along with examination fee as per notified by the JKBOSE but just weeks after they have decided to promote all the eligible ones to 12th class,” a student, who wished not to be named, said.
“Since the examination were not conducted, they (JKBOSE) should refund our money. If not all, but at-least some of it,” he said, adding that students living in similar shoes to him, cannot afford to just forget about the fee which will not be utilised for its real purpose.
On 21st of May, JKBOSE issued a notice regarding the submission of permission cum admission forms and statements of enrolments of class 11th for annual (private/bi-annual 2020-21 examination) pertaining to Kashmir Division, including district Kargil.
As per the notice, reappearing/failing candidates of class 11th with 5 subjects were asked to deposit Rs 1040 and those with additional subjects were asked to submit Rs 1250 by 9th of June.
Another student, who had to reappear in a subject after she failed to attend the exam for medical reasons, told “The financial condition of my family isn’t that well since the Covid pandemic took a toll on my fathers work. I had to persuade him to allow me to reappear and submitted the forms and admission fee as well.”
“And now that the Board has decided to promote the eligible ones and the exams, we have already paid for stand cancelled, then for what reason have I and other students submitted the examination fee?” she asked.
“If there is any logic behind it, we request JKBOSE to enlighten the students,” she emphasised.
On 23rd June, JKBOSE notified about the decision regarding 11th class students from Kashmir division and winter zone areas of Jammu division, who had to appear for the examinations which couldn’t be conducted, will be awarded marks on average basis but only to those, who have passed at-least 2 papers during the previous examinations, subjected to the condition that all such students must have submitted the permission cum admission forms along with the fee and have been found eligible for the exams.
“From past few years, the board (JKBOSE) has been taking the examination fee from students—more than a thousand—be it the student has to reappear for one subject or many. But after that they mass promote these students which raises concern about the money that has been deposited for the exams, never conducted,” a teacher on basis of anonymity said.
“Since not a single penny out of all the amount received through admission fee—in this case—will not be used for it’s true purpose, obviously because no such exams are going to be conducted, then why shouldn’t the board refund?” he asked.
“Amid the current Covid-19 situation, the students have raised their voice because they are concerned about the hard earned money of their parents,” he said, adding that even if the JKBOSE takes the 10 per cent charges related to accounts and other matters but then they should also consider returning the rest of it to the students.
He said that there are students who come from poor families and study in government schools to accomplish their dreams and at least for the sake of those students, the board must reconsider the decision of taking the examination fee since no such exams are being conducted.
Regarding the issue news agency made several attempts to contact Chairman of JKBOSE, Veena Pandita but received no response.
