MARDAN: The government and private educational institutions in the district are fleecing students of grade 9 and 10 in the name of registration fee to appear in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Mardan examinations, sources say.

They allege that BISE Mardan has increased registration fee for grade 9 students from Rs670 to Rs1,075 and from Rs975 to Rs1,475 for grade 10 students, however, schools are collecting more than the prescribed amount from students on the pretext of arranging accommodation and food for staff performing duty in the examination halls.

Mohammad Qasim, a student of a private school, told Dawn that he deposited Rs1,500 instead of Rs1,075 registration fee with the school administration to appear in grade 9 examination.

He said that the school administration told them to deposit extra money so that food and other related things could be arranged for the examiners.

Haroon Khan, studying at a government higher secondary school, said that he deposited Rs1,600 instead of Rs1,475 as registration fees for the grade 10 examination.

He said that authorities concerned should take up the issue as it was affecting students belonging to poor families.

Mohammad Shahid, father of a student, said that his son was asked by the school administration to pay Rs1,800 registration fee instead of Rs1,075. He said that he belonged to lower middle class and could not afford it.

The school administration not only restrained those students, who failed to pay the additional amount, from appearing in examination but also cancel their admission.

Mr Shahid demanded of the government to resolve the issue in the best interest of students and their parents.

Amad Akbar, principal of a private school, while talking to Dawn admitted that most of private educational institutions were charging extra registration fee which was sheer injustice with students.

Nishad Khan, owner of a private educational institution, said that charging extra registration fee from students was earning bad name to private schools.

BISE Mardan Chairman Prof Abdul Jabbar, when contacted, said that they had the same fee structure like other boards in the province.

“We have not only displayed this fee structure on the board’s website but also circulated it to all government and private educational institutions,” he said, adding that they had fixed Rs1,075 for science and Rs955 for arts students of grade 9 while Rs1,475 and Rs1,355 for science and arts students of class 10 respectively as registration fee.

Prof Jabbar said that the board administration would take stern action against those educational institutions that were violating the fee structure.

He added affiliation of such schools with the board could be cancelled.

“The students and their parents can file written complaints with the board or call on 0937-9230279 and 0937-9230338 to register complaint against any educational institutions,” he added.