VEHARI, Nov 19: Students and their parents have expressed their concern over imposition of examination fee on private candidates.

A group of students of class V and VIII told Dawn here on Sunday that the Punjab government had levied exam fee on private students at the rate of Rs25 and Rs50 per head, respectively.

They criticised the government decision, demanding exemption of all government schools from payment of fee.

A labourer, Hanif, of Muslim Town said his daughter would appear in middle standard examination scheduled to be in May 2007 and he could not afford exam and other tuition fees owing to expensive textbooks and other related notes. He demanded withdrawal of the fee.

On the other hand, Private Schools Organisation Vehari president Mian Inamul Haq and secretary-general Rana Barkat Ali said in a meeting held here on Sunday that the levy of exam fee on their institutions and private candidates was unjustified as it would put additional burden on poor parents and students. — Correspondent