The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Tripura Students’ Union (TSU) staged a protest in front of the Education Department today, condemning the recent decision by the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) to increase examination fees across six categories for Madhyamik (secondary) and Higher Secondary examinations.

Student and youth leaders sat on a dharna outside the Shiksha Bhavan, voicing strong opposition to the fee hike. 

They alleged that while the state government spends lakhs of rupees on publicity campaigns, it shows reluctance to invest in the education sector.

According to TBSE, the decision was made to increase teachers’ remuneration for evaluating exam papers. However, student leaders rejected the justification, describing the move as unjustified and anti-student. They also announced that the agitation would continue in the coming days.

As per the revised structure, the Madhyamik exam fee for five subjects has been raised from ₹130 to ₹300, while the vocational fee remains unchanged at ₹75 — making the total ₹375, up from the earlier ₹205.

At the Higher Secondary level, the exam fee has increased from ₹160 to ₹400, with an additional ₹75 to be paid for each practical subject, compared to the earlier total of ₹235.

Moreover, the registration fee for both Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations has been raised from ₹110 to ₹210.