Examination boards jack up fees

Move likely to deepen financial strain on families, disadvantage most

RAWALPINDI:

All 14 education boards in Pakistan, including those in Rawalpindi Division, have raised examination fees for HSSC students citing severe financial crisis.

The fee hike, effective for the 2025 intermediate exams, will disproportionately impact low-income families, raising concerns among parents over the increasing financial burden on students.

According to the revised policy, private candidates will now pay Rs5,000, while regular students will pay Rs4,800 in combined fees.

Specific fees within these totals include Rs1,400 for arts students and Rs1,500 for science students in the regular category, while private students will pay Rs1,500 for arts and Rs1,600 for science.

In addition to these examination fees, each student will be required to pay a registration fee of Rs1,000, a certificate fee of Rs1,000, a processing fee of Rs1,000, along with development, scholarship, and postal charges totaling an additional Rs700. Students transferring from other boards must also pay a No Objection Certificate (NOC) fee of Rs1,000.

The deadline for entry with a single fee is set for November 27, followed by December 11 with double fees, and December 24 with triple fees.

The final cutoff with a penalty of Rs200 per day will be February 11, with an escalated penalty of Rs700 until February 21, 2025.

Parents like Nadeem Asghar and Faisal Mufti voiced their frustration, arguing that the government, under constitutional obligations, should provide free education.

They fear that this fee increase will push education out of reach for many economically disadvantaged students.