The Jharkhand Academic Council has announced a sharp increase in examination fees for the 2026 matriculation and intermediate examinations, a move that is expected to affect nearly 8 lakh students across the state.
The revised rates, cleared in the Council’s board meeting, will apply immediately to the forms being filled for the February 2026 exams. Schools have been directed to collect the higher amount from all applicants.
The online application process for both exams began on 18 November and will continue without late fees until 5 December. Forms submitted between 6 and 12 December will attract a late fee.
Under the revised structure, regular candidates from SC, ST, BC-I and BC-II categories appearing for the matric exam will now pay 980 rupees, while general, EWS and private candidates will pay 1,180 rupees.
The late fee for all categories has been fixed at 500 rupees. For the intermediate examination, the new fee stands at 1,100 rupees for regular candidates from reserved categories and 1,400 rupees for general, EWS and private candidates, with the same late fee applicable. JAC has also raised charges for rechecking, improvement and correction-related requests.
Along with the fee increase, the Council has tightened its online verification rules. Schools must download and verify each student’s details through the Student Information Sheet and the List of Students available on the portal.
Students have been advised to cross-check their entries carefully because no changes will be permitted once the PEN number is entered. The Council has made NEFT or RTGS the only accepted modes of payment.
Schools will have to upload the UTR number after transferring the fees, which may take up to two working days to reflect. An online processing charge of 80 rupees will be added to every application.
Officials said that the 2026 board examinations are likely to begin in the first week of February. The increase in fees is expected to have a visible impact on families across Jharkhand, especially those in rural areas and low-income groups, as students now have to pay significantly more than earlier years.