Where ₹200 was charged last year, this time ₹500 is being charged for the admit card form, according to allegations. The educational campus became heated over this issue. The secondary test at Islampur Boys High School ended on November 13. After the results were announced on the 18th, it was informed that forms for admit cards would be distributed from Wednesday.
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Students claim that when they came to school that day, they learned they would have to pay ₹500 during form distribution. However, those who took their secondary exams from this school last year say ₹200 was charged. In other schools in Islampur, ₹50-100 is being charged during form distribution. Students questioned why ₹500 is being charged only at Islampur Boys. They claim no satisfactory answer was received from the office. After that, students went to the classroom and started vandalizing. Chairs and tables were reportedly broken. Students then blocked the state highway in front of the school and demonstrated for about 45 minutes. The blockade was later lifted after police intervention.
Students allege that ₹500 is being charged on the instructions of school headmaster Salimuddin Ahmed. However, the headmaster did not want to comment on this matter. Among the protesting students, Mohammad Faiz Nazar said, "We are boys from middle-class and lower-middle-class families. How can we pay so much money! I inquired at other schools and found they are charging much less." Another student, Nihal Akhtar, said, "The extra money is being charged on the head sir's instructions. If money is taken this way, we will launch a movement."
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The headmaster did not want to comment on the matter right now. He only said, "I will talk to the students and inform in detail later."
Regarding this, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education Chairman Ramanuj Gangopadhyay said, "There is a fee fixed by the board. Nothing should be charged beyond that. The board's fixed fee is not ₹500." He said he would investigate how that school demanded such a high fee.
