University exam fees increased by 42%

JAKARTA (JP): This year's state university entrance examinations will be increased by up to 42 percent from last year's fees, which ranged between Rp 25,000 (US$10.6) and Rp 35,000.

Under the new regulation, issued recently by the national committee for universities entrance exams, students will now have to pay Rp 35,000 if they take either the natural sciences or social sciences exams, or Rp 50,000 if they take both.

Last year, the Rp 25,000 fee was for students taking either the natural sciences or social sciences exams, while the Rp 35,000 fee was for those who took both exams.

This year's exams will be conducted throughout the country on June 18 and 19.

Head of the Semarang exam committee Warno Hadisutrisno said yesterday that the increase was decided on as a result of general price hikes in the country.

"The prices of many things which are related to the exams, such as paper, transportations, processing expenses and many others have increased," Warno told The Jakarta Post.

Soesmalijah Soewondo, Jakarta's exam committee, said the old fees, set in 1992, were no longer appropriate.

The exam fees are determined collectively by the rectors of the 89 state universities throughout the country.

Soesmalijah, who is a professor at the University of Indonesia (UI) School of Psychology, said she believed the rise in fees will not deter students' interest in taking the exams.

"Should there be a decrease in the number of exam participants, then it must be because they are more interested in quality private universities, and not because of the increase," she told The Jakarta Post.

Deputy principal of SMA 70 senior high school, A. Sukarno, told the Post he welcomes the fee increase, given the recent increase in public transportation fares.

Students who wish to take part in the exams can pay the fee at designated banks from May 20 to June 14.

Last year, 63,090 people passed the entrance exams for state universities out of 412,638 applicants. (31)