The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued an interim order directing the Tamil Nadu government to prevent the collection of question paper fees from students in government schools across the state.

The order was passed on Friday by a vacation bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and P Murugan while hearing a petition filed by A Malaikozhunthan of Karur, president of the Tamil Nadu High and Higher Secondary School Graduate Teachers’ Association.

According to the petitioner, the state government had abolished the collection of question paper fees from the 2026–27 academic year. However, the practice allegedly continued in government high and higher secondary schools despite the decision.

The petition raised concerns over the collection of fees from students of Classes 6 to 12 and sought an examination of the amounts collected in previous years. Citing information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the petitioner questioned whether proper receipts had been issued and financial records maintained for the collections.

The association also sought legal action against government officials allegedly involved in unauthorised fee collection. It urged the authorities to investigate whether the amounts collected in earlier years had been properly accounted for and used for their intended purpose.

After hearing the petition, the court issued an interim ban on collecting the fee and directed the School Education Secretary and the state government to file their responses.

The court adjourned the matter for further hearing. The case raises questions about the implementation of the government's decision to discontinue question paper fees and the accountability of funds collected from government school students.