KATHMANDU: The Higher Secondary Education Board today warned of action against the Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) and Plus Two colleges that have been charging exorbitant fee from students and parents in the name of entrance examination of grade XI.

The Supreme Court and the Ministry of Education had earlier directed not to charge more than Rs 25 for entrance exam form and more than Rs 100 for entrance exam, but some colleges in the Kathmandu Valley have been charging additional fee as ‘service charge’.

HSEB Vice Chairman Chaitanya Sharma said the HSEB would issue a public notice tomorrow, asking all concerned not to charge more than Rs 125 for entrance form and entrance exam.

“HSS/Plus Two colleges found charging more than Rs 125 will be penalised,” he said.

He also said that HSS/ Plus Two colleges that have already charged more than Rs 125 must return the additional amount.

Little Angels’ School in Hattiban has been charging Rs 300 for entrance exam. It is providing two different receipts to the parents — one of Rs 125 is for entrance form and entrance exam and another of Rs 175 for ‘service charge for admission test’.

Mukunda Sharma, Principal, Little Angels’ School, claimed that the school was not going against the government rules and regulations as it has been ‘charging only Rs 125 for exam form and entrance test’.

“The extra charge was for the service and facilities we provide to the parents and students during the entrance tests such as lunch, transportation, stationary and other facilities.” He added that the school has been charging the same amount for grade XI entrance exam for long. A joint meeting of 11 student unions aligned to various political parties demanded that the government take action against the HSS/Plus Two colleges that are flouting government rules and regulations.

A joint statement issued by student unions today said that the government should control the practice of arbitrarily charging tuition and other fees.

The student unions have also drawn the attention of the Ministry of Education and HSEB to scholarship selection process, urging them to make it transparent and increase it to 10 per cent from five per cent.

There are 3,658 HSS/Plus Two colleges across the country. The HSEB has also directed HSS/Plus Two colleges to distribute admission forms for two weeks from the date of SLC results, which were announced on June 19. Many Plus Two colleges in the Kathmandu Valley are planning to conduct entrance test next week, ignoring the HSEB directive.