Recruitment Fees Controversy in Tripura: Anger Among Unemployed Youths Over Heavy Charges for Government Job

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, May 24, 2026

A fresh wave of resentment is spreading among unemployed youths across Tripura over the growing burden of recruitment examination fees charged by various government departments and agencies for job applications.

The controversy has intensified following the recent recruitment notification issued by the High Court of Tripura, where candidates applying even for Group-D posts such as Peon, Orderly and Guard are required to pay substantial application fees despite the posts being lower-category jobs with fixed pay structures.

According to the notification, General (UR) category candidates must pay Rs.300 for applying to Group-D posts, while Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates are required to pay Rs.150. The recruitment drive is being conducted for 69 Group-D vacancies on a fixed pay basis.

The issue has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among unemployed youths, many of whom are already facing severe financial hardship due to the lack of employment opportunities in the state. Aspirants and social observers have alleged that government departments are increasingly turning recruitment examinations into revenue-generating exercises instead of focusing on employment generation.

What has further intensified public anger is the allegation that in many cases recruitment processes are either delayed for years or cancelled altogether after collecting huge amounts of money from thousands of unemployed candidates. Despite cancellation or non-completion of recruitment processes, the application fees deposited by candidates are allegedly not refunded.

The controversy comes in the backdrop of repeated complaints regarding recruitment examinations conducted by several state government agencies, including the Tripura Public Service Commission (TPSC) and other departments. Candidates claim they are being forced to spend large amounts of money merely to apply for jobs, often without any assurance of timely recruitment.

Many unemployed youths have questioned why candidates should be compelled to pay hundreds of rupees simply to sit for recruitment examinations, especially for posts such as peons, orderlies and guards where salaries themselves are comparatively low.

Critics argue that thousands of aspirants apply for each recruitment examination, resulting in the collection of massive sums of money from unemployed youths across the state. Allegations have surfaced that certain departments are effectively swelling their funds through recruitment-related fee collections.

The growing financial burden has become a serious concern particularly for economically weaker candidates who often borrow money or depend on family support just to submit multiple job applications. Many aspirants say that applying for government jobs itself has become financially stressful in Tripura.

As frustration continues to rise, demands are growing for the state government to formulate a transparent and youth-friendly recruitment policy. Several job aspirants and civil society members are demanding drastic reductions in recruitment examination fees, while others are calling for complete fee waivers for unemployed candidates.

There are also growing demands for automatic refund mechanisms in cases where recruitment examinations are cancelled or appointments are not completed within a reasonable period.

The High Court recruitment notification further states that candidates applying for direct recruitment posts must possess a Permanent Resident Certificate of Tripura (PRTC) as per the state government notification issued on July 7, 2023.

The controversy has once again brought the issue of unemployment and recruitment transparency to the forefront of public debate in Tripura, with many youths asserting that job recruitment should provide hope and opportunity, not become an additional financial burden on unemployed families.

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