Ministry of Education calls for Adoption of UPI and Digital Payments in Schools for Admission & Exam Fees
The push for digital alternatives is touted to be a mission en route Viksit Bharat 2047
The Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education has written to States, Union Territories and autonomous bodies under the Ministry urging adoption of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other digital modes for collection of admission and examination fees in schools.
The news was released through the website of the Press Information Bureau on October 11, 2025. The letter asks NCERT, CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti among others, to explore and implement mechanisms that enable schools to accept payments via UPI, mobile wallets and net banking as part of a broader push to modernise school administration and strengthen the “Ease of Schooling.”
The Ministry has slated the shift from cash to digital payments as a step towards convenience and transparency for parents and students, noting that online fee collection allows payments to be made remotely without even visiting schools while helping maintain clearer audit trails for institutions.
As India continuously develops its digital payments infrastructure, the latest initiative is deemed to improve financial literacy among stakeholders while supporting the broader vision of a digitally empowered, inclusive and citizen-centric education system towards the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The letter urges stakeholders to leverage the significant and growing penetration of UPI and other digital platforms to reduce dependency on cash and streamline administrative workflows. The Ministry has also recommended that autonomous bodies and large school chains consider system-level integrations that allow easy reconciliation of fee payments with school management and accounting software.
The push for digital payments in schools comes alongside other Ministry initiatives aimed at fostering innovation and student engagement.
All things considered, the measures reflect an administrative strategy to link convenience with transparency and to familiarise young citizens and their families with secure digital financial practices.
The Department has urged prompt action by States, UTs and school managements to implement the recommended digital payment systems, stressing that careful deployment, staff training and parental communication is essential to ensure accessibility, security and broad adoption across urban and rural schools.
Support our journalism by subscribing to Taxscan premium. Follow us on Telegram for quick updates
