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Aryabhatta College’s official fee notices show a sharp rise in annual fees for 2026-27, with B.A. (Hons.) Psychology recording the steepest increase among all courses.

Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi, has raised annual fees for regular second and third-year students across all courses for the academic year 2026-27, with the increase for B.A. (Hons.) Psychology emerging as the steepest, according to fee notices issued by the college and independently compared by DU Beat.

A comparison of the college’s fee notice dated 13 August 2025 and the notice dated 7 August 2026 shows the annual fee for second and third-year B.A.(Hons.) Psychology students rising from ₹22,415 to ₹30,612, an increase of ₹8,197, or approximately 36.6 percent. This is markedly higher than the increases recorded for other courses over the same period, which range from roughly 12.6 percent for Business Economics and Management Studies to 26.8 percent for B.Com and B.Com (Hons.). Mathematics saw an increase of approximately 22.6 percent, while English, Hindi, History and Political Science each rose by about 15.7 percent.

The trend is more pronounced among fourth-year students. A separate notice dated 21 August 2025 shows the fourth-year annual fee for Psychology was ₹22,415 in 2025-26, the same as the second and third-year rate that year. Under the 2026-27 notice, this has risen to ₹32,112, an increase of ₹9,697, or approximately 43.3 percent, the steepest rise recorded for any course. Comparable fourth-year increases ranged from about 17 percent for Business Economics, Management Studies and Computer Science, to roughly 34.5 percent for B.Com and B.Com (Hons.).

A student, who reached out to DU Beat on condition of anonymity, alleged that the fee notices did not carry any itemised explanation for the increase, and questioned what additional facilities students could expect in return. The student further claimed that a new academic building at the college, reportedly under construction since around 2019-20, remains only partially operational, with roughly 15 rooms in use and inadequate drinking water and washroom facilities in the block. DU Beat has not independently verified the status of the building or the college’s infrastructure at the time of publication.

Aryabhatta College has not issued an official statement explaining the rationale for the 2026-27 fee revision at the time of publication.

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Vidhi Ramchandani

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Delhi University has announced another hike in institution-level fees for the 2026–27 session, raising concerns among colleges over repeated increases, affordability for students, and the growing financial burden at a public university.

Delhi University has announced an increase in institution-level fees from the 2026–27 academic session, marking the second hike in the past six months and continuing a steady upward trend in the university’s share of the consolidated student fee. The move has sparked concern among college administrations, which warn that repeated revisions could burden students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

With the latest revision, DU’s total share in the combined fee has risen to Rs 4,100, up from Rs 3,500 fixed in July 2025 — an increase of over 17% in just six months. This rise exceeds the university’s stated policy of limiting annual fee increases to around 10% to offset inflation and rising operational costs.

According to a revised fee structure notification dated January 2 and circulated internally to colleges, the University Development Fund (UDF) has been fixed at Rs 1,750, while university facilities and services charges have also been set at Rs 1,750. In addition, students will pay Rs 300 towards the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Support University Fund and another Rs 300 towards the University Students’ Welfare Fund.

While the absolute amount may appear modest, college officials argue that the pace and regularity of these hikes are a cause for concern.

“For a public university like DU, which caters to students from a wide range of economic backgrounds, repeated fee increases over successive years signal a worrying long-term trend,” a senior college official said.

Last July, DU had already raised its share to Rs 3,500. At that time, the UDF was increased from Rs 1,200 in 2024 to Rs 1,500 in 2025 — a 25% jump — while facilities and services charges rose from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500, a 20% increase. The EWS Welfare Fund was also raised from Rs 200 to Rs 250, reflecting a 25% hike in a single year.

Data over the past four academic sessions show that DU’s share has more than doubled. The UDF has risen steadily from Rs 900 in 2022 to Rs 1,000 in 2023, Rs 1,200 in 2024, Rs 1,500 in 2025, and now Rs 1,750. Similarly, facilities and services charges have climbed sharply from Rs 500 in 2022 to Rs 1,750 this year. The EWS Welfare Fund, which began at Rs 100 in 2022, has now touched Rs 300.

DU has previously defended fee revisions by citing inflation and rising operational costs, maintaining that an annual increase of around 10% is necessary to sustain university-level services and infrastructure. However, no immediate response was available on the latest hike.

College principals have warned that cumulative increases are pushing undergraduate fees in top-tier colleges to Rs 30,000-40,000 per semester. “Even if DU still appears affordable compared to private or foreign universities, the consistent upward revision for a public institution is a troubling signal,” one principal said.

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Richa Choudhary

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