Delhi University has announced an increase in fees for undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs, affecting both domestic and international students enrolling in the 2024-25 academic session. This new fee structure, approved by DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh in June 2024, has sparked various reactions from university officials and the academic community.
For the first-year BTech students, the course fee has been raised by 3.70 percent, from Rs 2.16 lakh to Rs 2.24 lakh. A senior official at the Faculty of Technology clarified that the hike currently applies only to first-year students, aligning with university guidelines. Similarly, the fees for the five-year Integrated Law Programmes have been increased by 5 percent, from Rs 1.90 lakh to Rs 1.99 lakh. In the Faculty of Education, the fee for the four-year Integrated Teachers Education Programme (ITEP), which replaced B.EL.ED, has been increased to Rs 57,400. PhD scholars will experience a significant hike of 60.22 percent in their fees, now set at Rs 7,130, compared to the previous Rs 4,450.
This fee increase has not been without criticism. Teachers and Academic Council members argue that the increased fees are intended to repay loans from the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA). Aman Kumar, a member of the Executive Council, criticised the ongoing fee increases, saying they contradict the accessibility that DU is known for (affordability of courses). He accused the central government of reducing education budget allocations and encouraging universities to adopt self-financing models, which he views as commercialisation and privatisation of education. Vikas Gupta, DU registrar, refuted these allegations, claiming that the fee increase has nothing to do with HEFA loans and that DU has enough funds to cover loan interest. He emphasised that the increase is minimal and that fee waivers are available for students from economically disadvantaged families or those earning between Rs 4 and 8 lakh per year.
With the recent changes, foreign students will also be affected by the fee hike, confirmed DU Dean Admissions Haneet Gandhi. However, there is some relief for international applicants in specific programs. For instance, the fee for the MA Hindu Studies course has been reduced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50,000 for students from SAARC countries, and from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 1 lakh for those from non-SAARC countries. Additionally, Tibetan applicants will be exempted from paying university registration fees and additional fees payable to colleges and departments.
This recent hike follows a significant fee increase in December 2023, where the annual fees of Delhi University were raised by 46 percent, amounting to Rs 2,350 across various categories. This move was also met with allegations that the university was using student funds to repay HEFA loan interests. An official circular in June 2023 indicated that charges for facilities and services had doubled to Rs 1,000, student welfare funds had doubled to Rs 200, and development fund charges had increased by over 10 percent to Rs 1,000.
