The application fee is the smallest part of a recruitment and the cause of a surprising number of lost applications. Here is how it works and what to do when a payment goes wrong.
The notification lists the fee by category. Women, SC, ST and candidates with disabilities are often exempt or pay a reduced amount, but this differs between bodies. An exemption you are not entitled to is treated as a false declaration.
Do not pay again at once. Wait for the status to update, usually within a few hours, and check the payment status page of the portal. If money has left your account and the form still shows unpaid after two working days, write to the help desk with the transaction reference.
Most portals refund the extra amount automatically within a few weeks. Keep both transaction references and your bank statement.
Some recruitments refund part of the fee to candidates who actually sit the first exam. The refund goes to the bank account you entered in the form, so an error there means no refund.
A fee paid for a form that is later rejected for ineligibility, and fees paid on unofficial websites.
Always start from the official link. Open forms are listed under latest government jobs. See also ten application form mistakes.