CHARSADDA: Students of government schools staged a protest in Tangi tehsil here on Saturday against the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Peshawar for increasing examination, registration and other fee.
The protesters said the increase would put an additional financial burden on students, particularly those belonging to low-income and middle-class families. They urged the board authorities to withdraw the hike and provide relief to students enrolled in government schools.
According to the revised fee schedule, the fee for verification of a DMC or original certificate has been increased from Rs805 to Rs2,000, showing an increase of Rs1,195, or around 148 per cent.
The fee for a duplicate DMC has been raised from Rs805 to Rs1,500, while the registration fee has gone up from Rs700 to Rs1,300. The examination fee for grade IX has been increased from Rs2,530 to Rs3,000, while that for grade X has risen from Rs2,990 to Rs3,200.
Similarly, the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) improvement fee has been increased from Rs2,700 to Rs3,600. The examination fee for grade XI has gone up from Rs2,875 to Rs3,300, while the fee for grade XII has been raised from Rs3,105 to Rs3,600.
The Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) improvement fee has also been increased from Rs2,800 to Rs4,000, an increase of Rs1,200.
The fee for filing an appeal against an unfair means (UFM) decision has been raised from Rs1,725 to Rs2,000, while the fee for grace marks has increased from Rs345 to Rs600. The sports fee for grade XI has also been increased from Rs200 to Rs350.
The protesting students said the increase in board fees was particularly difficult for families already struggling with rising living costs. They said most students studying in government schools belonged to poor or middle-income households and their parents could not easily afford the additional charges.
They particularly objected to the increase in registration and improvement fees, saying students who were seeking to improve their academic results should not be subjected to excessive financial charges.
The protesters called upon the BISE Peshawar and the provincial government to review the revised fee structure and withdraw the increases, especially for students enrolled in government schools.
They said education should remain accessible to all and financial constraints should not prevent students from appearing in examinations, registering with the board or improving their academic results. The students warned that they would broaden their protest if the board authorities failed to reconsider the increased fees.
Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2026
