For the second time in a year, Delhi University has opted for a 46% increase in annual fees, following last year’s announcement in July. The decision to raise fees to Rs 2350 across various categories has sparked controversy, with teachers alleging that it is an effort to utilize students’ funds for repaying the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) loan.
In an official circular on June 7, Delhi University had announced doubling of the fees for university facilities and services, reaching Rs 1,000 for the academic year 2023-24. The fee for the students’ welfare fund was increased to Rs 200, and the development fund increased by more than 10 percent to Rs 1,000 from Rs 900 last June. To support the economically weaker sections, the annual fee of the University Fund was also revised to Rs 150 for new academicians.
This is the second increase in fees in an academic year, after the fee increase in July 2022, which is reportedly the first in 13 years. Teachers and Academic Council members alleged that DU is increasing fees to repay the HEFA loan, which is putting the affordability of education at risk. DU’s proposed ‘Strategic Plan 2022-2047’ to raise its global ranking has faced criticism, with teachers expressing concerns that the amount required for infrastructure will lead to fee increases through private funding.
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The left-affiliated Democratic Teachers Front has demanded the withdrawal of the ‘Strategic Plan 2022-2047’ claiming that its content is “plagiarized”. The Academic Council meeting is scheduled to be held today, December 6, to finalize the discussion on the major proposals on November 30.
DU Registrar Vikas Gupta rubbished the allegations and said, “The fee hike has nothing to do with it. The university has enough money to pay the HEFA loan and the interest.” HEFA had approved a loan fund of Rs 930 crore, as confirmed by Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh in October.
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