Maharashtra Board Waives Exam Fees for Students in Drought-Affected Areas

Mumbai, September 30 (Daily Kiran) : The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has announced a significant relief measure for students. The board has decided that students in 265 drought-affected talukas will not be required to pay examination fees for their upcoming 10th and 12th-grade exams. This initiative is aimed at easing the financial burden on students from these regions, who will be allowed to fill out their online application forms without any fees for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams scheduled for February and March 2027.The directive was issued to all departmental boards by MSBSHSE. According to a government decision from the Department of Relief and Rehabilitation on September 25, 2026, various concessions have been implemented as a special measure due to the drought-like conditions in these 265 talukas. This includes the waiver of online examination fees for both school and college students. In this context, the state board has instructed that students from drought-affected areas can proceed with their applications for the upcoming exams without paying fees until further notice.Detailed instructions regarding this process will be released separately by the state board. Additionally, all departmental boards have been directed to promptly inform schools and junior colleges in their jurisdictions about this waiver. They are also required to submit reports on the actions taken to the state board. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) is the primary autonomous body responsible for conducting the 10th (SSC) and 12th (HSC) board examinations in the state.