Maharashtra warns colleges against charging exam fees in 265 drought-hit talukas
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Maharashtra's higher education minister has warned colleges of action if they collect exam fees from students in 265 drought-hit talukas, reported October 13, 2026.
What Happened
Maharashtra's Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil has directed universities to make sure that no examination fees are collected from eligible students who live in the state's drought-hit talukas, and has warned that colleges ignoring the order will face action. The warning was reported on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The state has declared drought-like conditions in 265 talukas across 34 districts, and the Directorate of Higher Education has issued a circular on the fee waiver as part of the relief for these areas.
Key Facts
- Drought-like conditions have been declared in 265 talukas across 34 districts of Maharashtra.
- The Directorate of Higher Education has issued a circular on waiving exam fees for students from these talukas.
- The minister asked universities to ensure that affiliated colleges comply, and officials have been told to identify and act against institutions that do not.
- Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University in Nanded has announced the waiver for its winter-2026 exams in November and December.
- At that university, students must show residence in an affected taluka and a family income of not more than Rs 8 lakh a year, and confirm they have not received exam fee reimbursement under another scheme.
- The state school board is also waiving fees for the February-March 2027 Class 10 and Class 12 exams for students in these talukas.
- The board has told schools and junior colleges in the affected talukas to accept eligible students' exam forms without fees until further orders.
Why It Matters
A weak monsoon has left large parts of rural Maharashtra, especially Marathwada, with poor harvests and lower farm incomes. For families that depend on farming, exam fees for a college semester or a board exam are a real expense at a time when cash is short. A fee waiver is one of the standard relief measures the state applies once an area is declared drought-hit, alongside help on land revenue and loan recovery.
The minister's warning addresses a gap that often appears in such schemes: the order is issued at the top, but colleges continue to collect fees at the counter, either because they have not received the circular or because they are unsure how they will be reimbursed. By telling universities to police their affiliated colleges and asking officials to act against those that ignore the rule, the department is trying to make the waiver reach students before exam forms are filled.
The conditions set by the Nanded university show how the waiver works in practice. Students need documents proving their residence in an affected taluka and their family income, and they cannot claim the same benefit twice. Students who fail to submit these papers in time may still be asked to pay, so the paperwork matters as much as the order itself.
| Level | What is waived | Exams covered |
|---|---|---|
| University and college | Exam fees for eligible students | Winter-2026 exams, November-December (Nanded university) |
| State school board | Class 10 and 12 exam fees | February-March 2027 board exams |
Impact
Short-term: Students from drought-hit talukas who are filling exam forms for the November-December semester exams and the 2027 board exams should not be charged exam fees, provided they meet the eligibility conditions.
Long-term: If enforced well, the waiver can stop some students from dropping out or skipping exams because of a bad farm year. How smoothly colleges are reimbursed will shape how willingly they apply such waivers in future droughts.
Who is affected: College and university students and Class 10 and 12 students from the 265 drought-hit talukas, their families, affiliated colleges, junior colleges and schools, and university exam departments.
Key Takeaway
Students in Maharashtra's 265 drought-hit talukas are entitled to an exam fee waiver, and the state has warned colleges that charging them will invite action.
Questions and Answers
Which students in Maharashtra get the exam fee waiver?
Eligible students living in the 265 talukas across 34 districts where the state has declared drought-like conditions. Universities set the details; at Nanded's Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, students need proof of residence and a family income of up to Rs 8 lakh a year.
What happens if a college still charges the exam fee?
The higher education minister has warned that such colleges will face action, and officials have been asked to identify institutions that ignore the order.
Does the waiver cover Class 10 and Class 12 board exams?
Yes. The state school board is waiving fees for the February-March 2027 Class 10 and 12 exams for students in the affected talukas, and schools have been told to accept forms without fees until further orders.
What documents should a college student keep ready?
At the Nanded university, students must submit proof of residence in a drought-hit taluka, a family income certificate not above Rs 8 lakh, and a declaration that they have not received exam fee reimbursement under another government scheme. Students elsewhere should check their own university's notice.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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