The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has warned heads of government and government-aided high and higher secondary schools against collecting examination question-paper fees or other unauthorised charges from students in Classes 6 to 12.
The Director of School Education has instructed all chief educational officers to communicate the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court's interim order to school headmasters and ensure compliance. The directive follows a court order issued on October 23 restraining the collection of the charges.
The issue came to light after teachers' associations questioned the practice of collecting money from students to cover the cost of printing examination question papers. Teachers also submitted representations to School Education Minister A Rajmohan, seeking an end to the collections.
Districts collected more than ₹1 crore each
Information obtained under the Right to Information Act by the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary School Graduate Teachers Association showed that schools collected substantial amounts under the question-paper fee category during 2025-26.
The reported collections included:
Namakkal: ₹1.27 crore
Kanniyakumari: ₹1.36 crore
Pudukkottai: ₹1.30 crore
The association had earlier sought an investigation into the legal basis for collecting the money, the accounts in which it was held, printing contracts and expenditure. Its complaint also called for scrutiny of payments to printing presses and the use of collected funds. These concerns were allegations raised by the association, not findings of a completed investigation.
The amount charged varied by district and class. According to the association's earlier complaint, students in Classes 6 to 12 paid between ₹80 and ₹122. Students in Classes 11 and 12 were charged ₹120 in Karur, ₹122 in Namakkal and ₹119 in Tiruvallur, based on information obtained through RTI requests.
What did the High Court order?
The association approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court challenging the collection of question-paper fees from students in government schools.
On October 23, the court passed an interim injunction in WMP(MD) No. 23294 of 2026 in WP(MD) No. 30461 of 2026. The order stated: “There shall be an order of interim injunction.” The case concerns the collection of unauthorised question-paper fees and other charges from students in Classes 6 to 12.
The School Education Department subsequently instructed chief educational officers to ensure that school heads follow the court's direction. The department's circular covers government and government-aided high and higher secondary schools.
The interim order does not amount to a final judgment on every issue raised in the case. The available reports do not establish that the court has completed its examination of the collection system or determined whether any funds were misused.
Teachers had sought an investigation
Before the court order, the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary School Graduate Teachers Association had asked the School Education Department and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to investigate the collections.
In its October complaint, the association sought a district-wise audit and an examination of the money collected, the accounts used to hold it, printing contracts and related expenditure. It also alleged that collections continued despite assurances at a September meeting with the School Education Minister that the practice would stop.
The department's latest directive addresses the immediate issue by prohibiting the specified collections. The reports available so far do not confirm whether a separate audit or vigilance investigation has been ordered.
The next step is implementation across districts. Chief educational officers have been instructed to inform school heads of the court order and ensure that students are not charged the prohibited fees.