Maharashtra board waives exam fees for Class 10, 12 students in 265 drought-hit talukas

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) announced on Wednesday, October 1, 2026, a waiver of examination fees for Class 10 and Class 12 students in 265 drought-affected sub-districts across Maharashtra. This decision provides relief to students appearing for the upcoming Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations in 2027.

The fee exemption covers approximately 74 percent of Maharashtra’s talukas, which have been declared drought-affected due to poor rainfall this year. The board has instructed its divisional units to accept online applications for the examinations without collecting fees from students residing in these designated talukas, with the exemption effective until further orders.

Background to the Fee Waiver

The decision by the MSBSHSE follows a government resolution issued on September 25, which outlined various concessions for areas impacted by drought. Poor rainfall has led to 265 of Maharashtra’s total 358 talukas being declared drought-affected, highlighting the widespread impact on the state’s agricultural and economic conditions.

The government resolution included exemption from examination fees as a special provision to support residents in these drought-hit regions. This measure aims to alleviate some of the financial burden on families affected by the drought, ensuring that students can continue their education without the added stress of exam costs.

Examination Schedule for 2027

The MSBSHSE has released the schedule for the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations for the academic year 2027. The Class 12 (HSC) exams are set to begin in February, while the Class 10 (SSC) exams will commence shortly after.

Students in the drought-affected talukas will be able to apply for these examinations without paying the standard fees. The board’s directive ensures that the fee waiver is implemented at the application stage.

Previous Academic Year’s Examination Statistics

For the last academic year, the Maharashtra board saw quite a few students register and appear for both the SSC and HSC examinations. These figures provide a context for the scale of student participation in the state’s board exams.

Last academic year, 1,555,026 students registered for the SSC exams as regular candidates from nine divisions, with 1,542,472 appearing and 1,420,486 securing passing marks. For the HSC exams, 1,444,713 students registered, 1,433,058 appeared, and 1,286,843 successfully obtained a passing percentage.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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Further reading

• CBSE Class 10 and 12 Board Exams 2027 LOC process begins: check fees and dates
• UP Board Class 12th previous year question papers available for download
• UP Board 10th, 12th exam date sheet 2027 awaited; Class 10 exams to begin February 18
• CBSE Class 10 exam pattern 2027: syllabus changed by 30%, two board exams
• ICSE Class 10 History and Civics specimen paper 2026-27 released: download PDF for board exam