AIDSO opposes 50% hike in PU examination fees

Published - September 20, 2026 07:50 pm IST - KALABURAGI

AIDSO warned that the steep increase could particularly affect poor and rural students and urged the State government to immediately withdraw the order and roll back the fee hike in its entirety. | Photo Credit: File Photo

The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has opposed the State government’s decision to increase various examination-related fees for pre-university (PU) courses by 50%, describing the move as anti-student.

In a statement issued on Sunday, AIDSO district secretary Venkatesh Devadurga said the fee hike would add to the financial burden on students, particularly those from poor, farming, and working-class families already facing economic difficulties.

According to AIDSO, the examination fee for II PU students has been increased from ₹400 to ₹600 from the 2026-27 academic year. The fee for appearing in one subject has been raised from ₹140 to ₹210, for two subjects from ₹270 to ₹405, and for three or more subjects from ₹400 to ₹600.

The organisation said the penalty fee had been increased from ₹1,320 to ₹1,980, while the practical examination fee per subject had gone up from ₹110 to ₹165. The marks card fee has been raised from ₹50 to ₹75, and the fee for changing the examination centre has been raised from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000.

It also pointed out that the fee for a second duplicate marks card had been increased from ₹1,600 to ₹2,400, the third duplicate from ₹3,170 to ₹4,755, and the fee for obtaining a marks card under the Tatkal facility from ₹7,920 to ₹11,880.

AIDSO said a new fee of ₹2,000 had also been introduced for the verification of II PU marks, while the fee for improvement of examination marks had been increased from ₹262 to ₹525.

Mr. Devadurga said the increase in examination, practical examination, marks card, and other related fees would place an additional burden on students at a time when families were already struggling with rising living costs.

He said providing quality and free education to every student should be a priority for the government, and he alleged that increasing fees instead of encouraging education reflected an anti-education approach.

AIDSO warned that the steep increase could particularly affect poor and rural students and urged the State government to immediately withdraw the order and roll back the fee hike in its entirety.

Published - September 20, 2026 07:50 pm IST

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