Agartala: The Tripura government has asked all school authorities in the northeastern state not to charge students any payment except the examination fee, officials said here on Sunday.

"No government, semi-government and government aided schools up to 12th standard are to be allowed to take any kind of fee except the examination charge from the students," an education department official told reporters.

According to the official, a large number of schools have been charging various kinds of fees from the students. These include development fee, library fee, annual cultural and sports fee, computer fee and magazine fee, among others.

This decision will benefit over 812,000 students of 4,400 schools. Since 1978, education in Tripura up to Class 12 has been free.

The examination fee ranges from Rs.20 to Rs.100. IANS