AIDSO challenges 50% hike in PU examination fees, seeks rollback
AIDSO has opposed the State government's 50% increase in PU examination-related fees, warning of a heavier burden on poor and rural students and demanding a full rollback.
The All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) has come out against the State government's decision to raise a range of examination-related fees for pre-university (PU) courses by 50%, calling the move anti-student.
In a statement issued on Sunday, AIDSO district secretary Venkatesh Devadurga said the revision would deepen the financial strain on students, especially those from poor, farming and working-class households already coping with economic hardship.
Under the revised structure, the examination fee for II PU students will rise from ₹400 to ₹600 beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. Students appearing in a single subject will pay ₹210 instead of ₹140, those taking two subjects ₹405 instead of ₹270, and those taking three or more subjects ₹600 instead of ₹400.
The penalty fee has been raised from ₹1,320 to ₹1,980, while the practical examination fee per subject has gone up from ₹110 to ₹165. The marks card fee has been increased from ₹50 to ₹75, and the charge for changing an examination centre from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000.
AIDSO also flagged steeper charges for duplicate marks cards. The fee for a second duplicate has been raised from ₹1,600 to ₹2,400, the third from ₹3,170 to ₹4,755, and the Tatkal marks card from ₹7,920 to ₹11,880.
According to the organisation, a fresh fee of ₹2,000 has been introduced for verification of II PU marks, and the charge for improvement of examination marks has been increased from ₹262 to ₹525.
Mr. Devadurga said the higher examination, practical, marks card and related fees would add to the burden on students at a time when families are already grappling with rising living costs. He argued that providing quality, free education to every student should be the government's priority, and alleged that raising fees rather than encouraging education reflected an anti-education approach.
AIDSO warned that the steep increase could hit poor and rural students hardest, and urged the State government to withdraw the order immediately and roll back the fee hike in full.