The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has officially announced the reintroduction of examination fees for its recruitment exams. This new rule comes under the “Odisha Payment of Recruitment Examination Fees and Refund Rules, 2025” and will apply to upcoming OPSC recruitments.
If you are preparing for OPSC exams like OAS, OES, ASO, or other competitive posts, this update is very important for you. Here is a simple and clear explanation of the new rules, who has to pay, who is exempted, and when refunds will be given.
OPSC Examination Fee Reintroduced: Official Update
As per the OPSC Notice dated 30 December 2025, the Commission has decided to start collecting examination fees again for recruitment exams conducted by OPSC.
Earlier, exam fees were abolished in 2022, but now they have been reintroduced with some important conditions.
How Much Examination Fee Will Candidates Have to Pay?
Candidates Who Must Pay the Fee
- General category
- SEBC/OBC category
- All candidates except SC, ST, and PwD
These candidates will have to pay ₹700 as examination fee.
This fee applies only to recruitments that include a Written Examination, no matter how many stages the exam has.
Who Is Exempted From Paying the Fee?
The following candidates do not have to pay any examination fee:
- SC candidates
- ST candidates
- Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
What About Recruitments With Only Interviews?
- If a recruitment process has only an Interview
- And no Written Examination
No examination fee will be charged from any candidate.
Examination Fee Refund Rules (Very Important)
OPSC has also clearly mentioned refund conditions, which is good news for serious aspirants.
Who Will Get a Refund?
- Candidates who appear in all papers of the first stage of the Written Examination
- Their entire examination fee will be refunded
Who Will Not Get a Refund?
- Candidates who fail to appear in all papers of the first stage of the Written Examination
- Their examination fee will be forfeited (not refunded)
How Will the Refund Be Paid?
- The refund will be sent to the same payment method used during application
- This includes:
- Debit Card
- Credit Card
- UPI
- Net Banking
- Wallets
No separate request is required for refund.
Important Points at a Glance
- Exam fee amount: ₹700
- Who pays: All except SC, ST, PwD
- Applies to: Recruitments with Written Exam
- Interview-only posts: No fee
- Refund: Yes, if all first-stage papers are attended
- No refund: If candidate skips any paper
What Aspirants Should Do Now
- Apply only when you are serious and prepared
- Do not miss any paper, otherwise your fee will be lost
- Keep track of OPSC notifications regularly
- Plan exam attempts carefully to avoid unnecessary loss of money
Final Words
The return of examination fees marks a major policy change by OPSC after nearly three years. While it adds a financial responsibility, the refund provision rewards sincere candidates who actually appear for the exam.
For more OPSC updates, exam news, and preparation guidance, keep visiting LearnOdisha.com regularly.
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