Don’t withhold hall tickets over fees: Board tells schools

The HSC exams are set to commence on February 21. Representation pic

All schools threatening students that they will not be allowed to appear for board exams until their fees are paid must immediately stop such actions. Sharad Gosavi, the chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, has issued a stern warning to schools regarding the unjustifiable deprivation of students from taking HSC and SSC board exams due to outstanding fees.

Gosavi has cautioned schools about the consequences they will face if found guilty of withholding hall tickets or preventing students from appearing for exams. He said, "No student can be denied the opportunity to take the board examination conducted by the state board due to unpaid fees. We have recently received two complaints regarding this issue, and appropriate action will be taken. I have instructed concerned group education officers and district education officers to promptly provide hall tickets to the students and take necessary action against the schools involved."

The issue gained attention when Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) workers, the student wing of MNS, vandalised the office of JSPM School at Lonikand-Wagholi in Pune on Monday afternoon after it refused to issue an HSC board exam hall ticket to a student over unpaid fees.

An official from the Mumbai division of MSBSHSE said, "Resolving issues related to non-payment of fees can be addressed through alternative means. Schools cannot intimidate parents and students regarding the board exams. Last year, we also received complaints. Fortunately, we were able to issue hall tickets to the schools at the last minute, and students did not lose a year. Any school denying hall tickets to students, preventing them from appearing for exams, or threatening to do so will face consequences."

This year, approximately 31 lakh students, including 15 lakh HSC and 16 lakh SSC students, are scheduled to appear for the board exams. To ensure a fair and secure examination process, the state board has implemented significant measures to prevent cheating, impersonation, and the circulation of leaked papers on social media.

The HSC exams are set to commence on February 21, while the SSC exams will begin on March 1. Gosavi highlighted the increase in the number of students taking the exam this year, from 34,000 to 39,587.
"Measures have been implemented to prevent malpractices during the examination, with examiners stationed at examination centres. Additionally, teams appointed by revenue and police administrations are tasked with ensuring the integrity of the examination process," he added.