Nagaland: Rs 19 lakh generated through fees for cancelled forest guard exam

March 4, 2025 18 Views No Comment

NSUI criticizes additional Rs 100 fee for rescheduled exam, seeks clarity

KOHIMA, MARCH 4 (MExN): The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Nagaland has raised concerns over the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s decision to collect an additional Rs 100 examination fee from candidates applying for 154 Forest Guard positions.

In a statement released Monday, NSUI Nagaland expressed surprise at the extra charge, particularly for applicants who had already submitted their forms. The student body cited an earlier Right to Information (RTI) request, which revealed that 9,744 candidates had applied for 115 Forest Guard posts advertised in January 2023. Each candidate paid an examination fee of Rs 200, generating Rs 19,48,800 in total. However, the examination was cancelled following a cabinet decision, and the fees have not been reimbursed.

The department’s latest notification states that the balance Rs 100 fee will be collected when admit cards are issued, provided candidates produce a payment receipt. NSUI Nagaland called this requirement “entirely unreasonable,” arguing that many candidates had already spent between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 on travel, lodging, and other expenses to submit their applications in Kohima.

The union also questioned whether candidates who lost their payment receipts would be forced to submit their forms again and whether the original Rs 200 fee would be refunded if they chose not to reapply.

NSUI Nagaland urged the department to waive the additional fee and instead issue digital admit cards to prevent candidates from having to travel again. The organization also called for timely conduct of the examination without further delays, stating that repeated cancellations have placed undue strain on aspirants.