DU announces hike in development fee by INR 300 from academic year 2022-23

"We have decided to slightly increase the annual university development fees from INR 600 to Rs 900 from the academic year 2022-23," DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said.

DU announced hike in development fee by INR 300 from academic year 2022-23

Delhi University has announced that it has decided to increase the annual university development fee charged to the students by INR 300 from the academic year 2022-23 after a gap of 13 years, the University official said.  

The University Development Fee (UDF) is one of the components that is charged as part of the annual fees from students. "We have decided to slightly increase the annual university development fees from INR 600 to Rs 900 from the academic year 2022-23," DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said.

He further informed that this has been done in wake of the reduction in the capital grants by the University Grants Commission (UGC). DU had earlier constituted a University development fund committee to consider the allocation of funds for various activities like the construction of new buildings and procurement of laboratory equipment. 

On December 17, in a meeting, of the University's Executive Council, the committee's recommendations were accepted despite a few members' dissent. The committee comprising of former pro-vice-chancellor PC Joshi and Registrar Gupta stated that the UGC has not released sufficient capital grants to the varsity for the laboratory and other equipment for the last three to four years and had allocated only INR 1.25 crore in the financial year 2021-22.

A section of DU teachers termed the fee hike "unfortunate". "The fee hike is unfortunate. It shows that the university is not receiving UGC grants it requires for maintenance," said Abha Dev Habib, a former Executive Council member, as reported by NDTV.

"Unfortunately, fees are being increased and students are being charged for chemicals and facilities to do research. The university cannot progress if the costs of maintenance, apparatus and facilities are shifted onto the students," she added.

Academic Council member Alok Pandey said there is no need to increase the annual university development fees. "In the centenary year, when the university is carrying out various activities, it should not raise the fees as it will add to the pressure on students," he said.

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