Kolkata, Dec. 4 -- State Education minister Bratya Basu and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday engaged in a fresh political war of words on social media over the notification on fees for the 2026 Higher Secondary examinations.

Adhikari accused the government of "craftily extracting money from students", while Basu countered with documents, alleging that the Opposition leader is intentionally misleading the public.

The LoP shared on X a circular issued by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) outlining the enrolment and centre fees for students appearing in the 2026 Higher Secondary Examination. He alleged that although education is meant to be free, the Mamata Banerjee government is making "an underhand attempt to collect money from students".

Citing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Adhikari wrote that education from pre-primary to Class XII should be compulsory and free. He questioned why the state was imposing fees "through the back door" and claimed the government's aim is to dismantle the government school system and push students towards private institutions "benefitting business groups close to the ruling party".

He also alleged the collected funds would be used for "honorary degrees abroad" or "ceremonies in foreign college canteens". Calling the fee "illegal and unethical", he demanded its immediate withdrawal.

Within hours, Basu issued a sharp rebuttal, accusing Adhikari of a "habitual attempt to confuse the public". To support his claim, he shared two documents-the list of 2025 examination fees under the CBSE board and a press release issued by the Higher Secondary Council.

The minister argued that CBSE charges significantly higher fees while the state has ensured that education remains free. The Council's statement said the additional burden arising from the semester system is borne entirely by the state government. The annual exam fee per semester remains unchanged, with only a marginal Rs 10 increase in the centre grant per semester to ensure smooth conduct of examinations. The state has sanctioned an additional Rs 19.23 crore to meet this expenditure.

"Sharing the CBSE notification for your kind information. The truth becomes clear before everyone. Stop spreading misinformation,"Basu wrote.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.