Short answer: If an eligible course you plan to complete in the December 2026 Term-End Examination includes a project, internship or practical component, check your IGNOU Samarth account for the applicable course fee. IGNOU opened this fee-payment facility and set 30 November 2026 as the last date. A payment for theory examinations does not by itself prove that your project, internship or practical course fee has been paid. Check your registered course codes and the payment status in your own account before making another payment.
Key Dates and Fees at a Glance
| Item | Current information | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Project, internship and practical course fee | Pay by 30 November 2026 | Use your own IGNOU Samarth login if eligible. |
| Regular December 2026 TEE exam form | Up to 30 September 2026 without late fee | Check your examination-form submission separately. |
| Fee per eligible practical or project course | Common prospectus: ₹300 up to 4 credits; ₹500 above 4 credits, for the stated admission category | Check course credits, admission cycle and the amount in your portal before paying. |
Two different deadlines: The 30 September date applies to the regular examination form; the 30 November date in the separate 18 September notice applies to the project/internship/practical course fee. Do not treat 30 November as a general extension for theory exam forms or as a universal project-report submission deadline. See our December 2026 exam-form guide for the form process, and confirm the latest dates in the official examination-form notice.
Who Needs to Pay?
The question is about your registered course, not simply your degree name. Some IGNOU programmes include practical papers, project work, internship reports or similar assessed components. A learner with only theory courses due in this examination cycle should not assume they owe this additional fee. A learner who has a relevant component should check whether it is eligible and payable for December 2026.
- Find the exact course code. Open your registration record or programme guide. Our IGNOU student resources page groups official registration and course-information links. A programme such as BCA, MCA or a science degree can include practical or project courses, but that does not mean every student in that programme pays for the same component this session.
- Check your eligibility. IGNOU specifically mentions valid registration and completion of the minimum period of study wherever applicable. Do not pay for a course merely because its title looks familiar.
- Inspect the current fee option in Samarth. Match the displayed course code and payable amount against your records before submitting payment.
How Much Is the Project or Practical Fee?
IGNOU’s July 2026 common prospectus lists the following project evaluation and practical examination rates for the admission category it identifies from January 2023 onward. The September 2026 notice tells learners to pay the prescribed fee in Samarth, so always treat the amount displayed for your eligible course and admission cycle as the amount to verify before final payment.
| Course component | Up to 4 credits | Above 4 credits |
|---|---|---|
| Project evaluation | ₹300 per course | ₹500 per course |
| Practical examination | ₹300 per course | ₹500 per course |
The official July 2026 common prospectus provides these rates. The 18 September notice includes internship courses but does not state a single standalone internship rate in its announcement text. For internship-related charges, use the amount and classification shown in your Samarth account rather than assuming the project rate automatically applies.
Want a rough estimate before signing in? Try the IGNOU Exam Form Fee Calculator. Its values are editable and its result is only an estimate; the official portal determines your payable amount.
Check Your Course Before Deciding Whether to Pay
A programme name cannot tell you which fee applies to your current attempt. Two learners in the same programme may have different courses due this December. Check each registered course code instead of relying on a generic degree list.
| Check | Where to look | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Registered course code | Samarth record, registration details or programme guide | A similar course name may belong to another syllabus or programme. |
| Component type | Programme structure and applicable course description | The component may be theory, lab, project, fieldwork or internship. |
| Credit value | Course information in the official programme guide | Project and practical rates in the prospectus use the 4-credit threshold. |
| Eligibility this session | Current registration and the December 2026 Samarth option | A course in your programme need not be due in your present exam cycle. |
If your registration record and fee screen disagree, save a screenshot and contact IGNOU support before paying for another course. Enter your credentials only on the official portal.
Exam Form, Course Fee and Project Submission: Three Different Checks
This is where many students get stuck. The December examination form records the eligible papers you intend to take in that TEE. The separate project/internship/practical fee window is about paying the applicable charge for those assessed components. The academic side—writing a project, getting a synopsis approved where required, attending a practical or submitting an internship report—follows its own programme and school instructions. Finishing any one step does not confirm that all the others are complete.
| Requirement | What it confirms | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| TEE examination form | Your selected eligible examinations for the session | Check the submitted form and its acknowledgement. |
| Project, practical or internship fee | Payment for the applicable assessed course component | Check its course-wise payment record and receipt. |
| Academic work or attendance | Completion or submission according to programme rules | Follow the relevant school, Study Centre, Regional Centre or official submission instructions. |
An approved project synopsis is not a fee receipt or proof that your final report was submitted. A payment receipt does not prove your report passed its academic checks. Follow notices for your exact programme and course.
How to Pay Through IGNOU Samarth
Unsure which IGNOU login to use? Read our IGNOU login portals guide to distinguish Samarth from study-material and results portals.
- Open the official IGNOU Samarth student portal directly and sign in to your own account. Do not share your password or OTP with anyone.
- Look for the December 2026 project, internship or practical course fee option available to your account. Portal labels can change, so confirm the examination session rather than relying on a screenshot from an older session.
- Compare each displayed course code with your registration record. Check registration validity, credit value and the amount before proceeding.
- Complete the payment through the portal’s offered method. Keep the page open until it returns a confirmation or clear status.
- Save the acknowledgement, transaction reference and a screenshot. Reopen the portal and confirm that the relevant payment appears against the correct course.
What to Check Before You Click Pay
It is worth spending a few minutes on the payment summary. First, verify that the account shows your own name, enrolment number and correct programme. Then check the session label, the project/practical/internship course codes, the number of courses selected and the total amount. Read any on-screen instructions about corrections and receipts before authorising the transaction. A correct amount against the wrong course will still create a problem that needs resolving.
- Correct December 2026 session
- Current registration is valid
- Exact eligible course code
- Credit value and fee category
- Payment total checked
- Reliable way to save the receipt
If you use a phone, make sure the payment page has fully loaded before tapping again. Keep enough battery and a stable connection to complete the return from the payment gateway. A bank debit message alone does not tell you whether the university portal recorded the correct course payment, so keep the transaction reference and check the account again afterward.
Any estimate you made earlier does not know your enrolment or eligibility and cannot pay IGNOU on your behalf. Compare your notes with the current IGNOU instructions, and pay only the amount requested in your official student account.
After Payment: Save Proof and Check the Status
After paying, check the session, enrolment number, paid course code, amount, date and transaction reference where shown. Download the receipt and keep a screenshot. Name the file clearly so you can find it when checking a practical schedule or raising a support request.
Return to Samarth and check the relevant fee or transaction status for the same course. If the gateway said “successful” but the course does not show as paid, save both screens. If the bank shows a debit but the gateway never confirmed it, do not immediately start a new transaction. Check the portal again, collect the bank reference and contact the official support route while the window is open. Explain the problem in one message with the course code, session and payment reference; there is no reason to email your password or OTP.
If Your Course Is Missing or the Payment Status Looks Wrong
The eligible course does not appear
First confirm the course code, admission cycle, registration validity and minimum study duration in your own records. Then contact the concerned IGNOU Regional Centre or the official student support route with the relevant course details. Do not select a similar course just to complete payment.
Money was debited but there is no confirmation
Save your bank transaction reference and a screenshot, then recheck the Samarth payment status. Avoid paying a second time immediately. If the portal still does not show a successful payment, raise the issue through IGNOU’s official help route while the window is open and keep your supporting evidence.
You are close to the deadline
Do not plan around a possible extension. The 18 September notice expressly says that no fee will be accepted after 30 November 2026. Check the official announcements page for any later revision and finish the payment early enough to resolve an account or payment issue.
You paid for an earlier TEE attempt
Do not assume the earlier receipt covers a new December 2026 attempt. Check whether the earlier payment was attached to the same course and session, and whether you are applying again for an eligible assessment. The payment record in your account and current IGNOU instructions are the right places to resolve this; guessing could produce either an unnecessary repeat payment or an unpaid current attempt.
Your project or practical result is already complete
Check the official academic record and your present registration before selecting a fee. If the component was successfully completed in an earlier cycle, it may not be part of your current pending work. If the record is inconsistent, collect the grade-card entry and previous acknowledgement and ask IGNOU to clarify the account-specific position.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the project or practical fee included when I pay for my theory exam?
Do not assume it is. IGNOU has opened a specific project, internship and practical course fee facility for December 2026. Review your course-wise transaction and payment status in Samarth.
Do all IGNOU students need to pay this fee?
No. It applies to eligible learners with a relevant project, internship or practical course in the December 2026 cycle. Check your course registration and the applicable fee option in your account.
Is 30 November also the December 2026 exam-form last date?
No. IGNOU’s separate examination-form notice sets 30 September 2026 as the date for submission without a late fee. The 30 November date concerns the project, internship and practical course fee.
Is 30 November the deadline to upload my project report?
The cited 18 September notice confirms a fee-payment deadline. Check the applicable school, Regional Centre or project-submission notice for the deadline and method for submitting your report.
Will IGNOU accept a late payment after 30 November?
The current notice says no fee will be accepted after the stipulated date. Rely only on a later official IGNOU notice if the university changes that instruction.
Final Checklist
- Match the project, internship or practical course code to your current registration.
- Confirm your eligibility and the amount in your own Samarth account.
- Pay by 30 November 2026 under the current official notice.
- Save your receipt and confirm the correct course shows as paid.
- Check your separate exam-form and academic submission requirements.
Related IGNOU guides
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