BHUBANESWAR: After the State-wide uproar over the suicide of a tribal girl student in Nabarangpur district for failure to pay school fee, the State Government on Monday decided that the school authorities would not demand any fee from SC and ST children studying in any Government or Government-aided institutions. The prescribed fee will be paid by the designated ST and SC Development department officials on requisition from the competent authorities of the School and Mass Education department, Usha Padhee, Secretary in the department, said. In a letter to all collectors, district education officers and district welfare officers, Padhee said recently there have been reports of distress condition of SC and ST students and their families due to alleged demand of fees by school authorities. The school fee will be linked to the students’ stipend. There are several schemes under which the SC and ST students receive stipend.