The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced fee hike concordant with its decision to implement autonomy and the motion for 30% self-attained funding by universities. Such a decision comes at the expense of lakhs of students studying at the University of Delhi (DU). This announcement has caused panic and chaos among the students and parents.
The revised fee structure has been released on the Delhi University website as of 31 March 2018.
The official page of the DU can be referred to for other course specific fees. Individual universities have been given the discretion to change independent course fees within a margin of 3% as per university guidelines. The deadline for new fee payment has been set as 25th July 2018, five days post the beginning of the new session.
This news has led to some serious repercussions. Professors in north campus colleges have refused to take classes and are sitting outside with their students in protest.
The teachers are extremely outraged with this decision. A distressed senior professor from Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College ARSD college was quoted as saying, “The government has failed in its responsibility to provide affordable and accessible education to all. Our education system is bringing shame to our country.”
An ad-hoc teacher from Lady Shri Ram College expressed her concerns to us, “Our jobs are in danger. We’d either be fired or never promoted. This brings us to a very difficult position and we are completely against the government’s decision.” A Sanskrit professor from Kamala Nehru College expressed her concerns to us saying, “Students will not be willing to pay such high amounts for courses like Sanskrit, Bengali, Music, B.A. Programme, etc. This would lead to a sad death for liberal arts and sciences.”
All classes in off-campus colleges like Zakir Hussain College have been canceled until further notice.The students are also enraged by this decision and they took to criticise the government on social media. A distressed student from Motilal Nehru College MLNC said, “I came here to study from Orissa. My parents will not be able to afford my fee now., with this hike. I don’t know how to get this kind of money within the deadline that they’ve given us.”
Students were also seen talking about dropping out or transferring to other universities. A 2nd-year student from Sri Venkateswara College told us that she’d rather study in Himachal University than the Delhi University. A 1st-year psychology honours student from JMC argued that “This will lead to most jobs being concentrated in the commerce sector and it will take away jobs from sectors which already don’t have enough opportunities. Even though I can afford the fee hike, I will not be able to get a job after graduating from this course.”
Panicked parents were also seen outside colleges. A parent said, “I cannot withdraw my daughter’s admission as she has already studied here for two years. I cannot transfer to another college either but it’ll be very hard for me to pay the fee this year.”
We tried to get in touch with officials from the Delhi University, but they remained unavailable for comment. This new will not only impact lakhs of students studying in the Delhi University, but also lakhs wanting to get admission.
With the semester exams approaching, lectures being cancelled, and ongoing protests it’ll be difficult for the Delhi University to end this semester on a good note.
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Feature Image Credits: Digital Learning Magazine
Meher Gill
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Muskan Sethi
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