Students demand full exam fee waiver in drought-hit areas, want conditions scrapped

A controversy has erupted over the exam fee waiver scheme the state government has announced to give relief to students in drought-affected areas. Concerns have been raised that the strict conditions in the government order could leave many needy students out of the benefit. Students and student organisations are therefore demanding that the conditions be scrapped immediately and that the exam fees of drought-affected students be waived in full.

Drought has been declared in 304 talukas of the state this year. Against this background, the Higher and Technical Education Department issued a government order on November 3. Under it, a decision has been taken to waive the exam fees for the 2026-27 academic year for students of arts institutions under the department. The state government has sanctioned an expenditure of Rs 20,38,630 for the scheme.

Students, however, object to the conditions set for the waiver. According to the order, students whose parents actually live in a city for work or business, but who have agricultural land in a village in their name, will not get the benefit of the concession.

Student organisations say this condition could be unfair to many students from farmer and farm labourer families. Because of the drought, farming in the village yields no income, so many families have to move to the city to make a living. In such circumstances, they say, it is not right to deny a fee waiver merely because the parents live in the city and have agricultural land in their name.

Students from families bearing the economic brunt of the drought need financial help to continue their studies. The demand is therefore growing that the government reconsider the conditions and extend the exam fee waiver to eligible students in drought-affected talukas without any discrimination.