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Punjab education boards have announced a sharp increase in examination fees. This decision aims to manage a severe financial shortfall. However, the move places a heavy financial burden on students appearing for board exams.
Officials estimate that the boards will collect up to Rs. 15 billion through this revised fee structure.
Punjab Boards: New Charges & Tax Impositions
The boards have introduced several new costs. Notably, they added a specific charge for installing CCTV cameras at examination centres. Additionally, a new miscellaneous fee is now part of the structure. The certificate fee also saw a significant jump, rising from Rs. 550 to Rs. 1,000.
Consequently, the total cost for students has risen steeply. After including new charges and taxes, the total payment for FA and FSc annual examinations is as follows:
| Student Category | Total Fee (Rs.) |
| Private Candidates | 7,730 |
| Regular Students | 7,570 |
Revised Fee Breakdown (Intermediate 2026)
For the intermediate annual examinations starting May 20, 2026, the boards have released a detailed fee breakdown.
| Fee Category | Amount (Rs.) |
| Admission Fee | 1,000 |
| Registration Fee | 1,000 |
| Processing Fee | 1,000 |
| Certificate Fee | 1,000 |
| Miscellaneous Fee | 900 |
| Development Charges | 350 |
| Postal Charges | 300 |
| Scholarship Fee | 250 |
| CCTV Fee | 30 |
Furthermore, the boards set specific admission fees based on the study stream:
- Regular Arts: Rs. 1,700
- Regular Science: Rs. 1,740
- Private Arts: Rs. 1,800
- Private Science: Rs. 1,900
Private Schools Reject the Hike
The All Pakistan Private Schools Associations have firmly rejected the fee increase. Various leaders from multiple associations condemned the move.
Prominent figures, including Abrar Ahmed Khan, Irfan Muzaffar Kiani, and Malik Naseem Ahmed, voiced their concerns. They argued that examination halls already possess CCTV cameras. Therefore, students should not bear this additional cost. Moreover, they labelled the Rs. 900 miscellaneous fee as unjust and called the hike in certificate and processing fees excessive.
