Ranchi: The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) on Thursday opened the application process for the 2027 matric and intermediate examinations, with examination fees revised upward by Rs 120 for both categories compared to last year.Students can submit forms without a late fee until Nov 26. Under the revised structure, matric candidates will have to pay between Rs 1,100 and Rs 1,300, while intermediate students will be charged between Rs 1,220 and Rs 1,520, depending on category. JAC chairman Natwa Hansdak did not respond to TOI’s calls seeking his comment on the revised examination fees.JAC secretary S D Tigga said, “Students submitting forms within the regular window must deposit their examination fees by Nov 30. Those missing the deadline can apply with a late fee until Dec 4, with the corresponding fee payment to be completed by Dec 7.”On the examination schedule, Tigga said, “The board has not held a meeting yet to decide the examination dates. Tentatively, the examinations are expected to begin in the first week of Feb.”Around 8 lakh students are expected to appear for the matric and intermediate examinations combined in 2027. In 2026, over 7.48 lakh candidates registered for the two examinations, including 4,23,861 matric and 3,24,321 intermediate students.JAC has directed schools and colleges to download application forms, prepare the List of Students and verify entries against registration records to ensure that no eligible candidate is left out.The fee revision has added to concerns among some families. “For us, arranging the examination fee means setting aside a little money from daily earnings. We cannot always spare the entire amount at once, so we have to save in advance to ensure our child does not miss the application deadline or end up paying a late fee,” said Lakshman Mahato, a daily-wage labourer and parent of a Class 10 student.Ajay Rai, president of Jharkhand Abhibhavak Sangh, criticised JAC for the price hike and urged state govt to intervene. “Most govt school students come from labourer, farmer and lower middle-class households and may struggle to bear the additional burden. We demand review of the revised fee and restoration of the previous rates besides special concessions for financially disadvantaged students,” he said.
