Amid a severe financial crisis, education boards have introduced significant fee hikes for students taking the 9th and 10th (matriculation) annual exams in March 2025, sparking strong opposition from parents. In addition, the boards have implemented a new development fund for students.
The Boards Committee has published the fee schedule for the 2025 exams, which includes a certificate fee of Rs1,000, a processing fee of Rs870, and a new Rs350 development fund. As a result, each student will now pay a total of Rs4,380 to sit for the matriculation exam, up from the previous fee of Rs2,700.
The nine education boards in Punjab are struggling financially, leading the government to propose their abolition in favor of a single provincial board. Efforts are also underway to address legal challenges that led to protests by the boards’ employees.
The admission fees for both regular and private students have been standardized with the following breakdown: Rs1,800 for admission, Rs870 for processing, Rs280 for sports, Rs80 for the scholarship fee, Rs350 for the development fund, and Rs1,000 for the certificate fee. Fee submissions can be made with single fees from November 2-27, double fees from November 28-December 11, and triple fees from December 12-24.
Irfan Muzaffar Kayani, President of the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPS&CA), criticized the fee increase, calling it a burden on low-income families and urging a 40-50% reduction.
Parents have strongly opposed the fee hike. Haji Shafiullah, one such parent, demanded the immediate withdrawal of the increase and called for free education up to the matriculation level.
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