A massive uproar has erupted over Delhi University's decision to raise the fee for its English PhD programme by 1,200 per cent, as claimed by university teachers. They claimed that the Department of English increased the fee from Rs 1,932 to Rs 23,968, while all other departments charged Rs 4,400 for their PhD courses.
The Student Federation of India (SFI) at the University strongly criticised this decision, expressing concerns that it might hinder students' access to quality higher education.
In its official statement, the SFI described the fee hike as an attack on publicly funded educational institutions, which limits opportunities and places a heavier financial burden on students and their families.
The student body also alleged that the administration imposed a strict one-day deadline for fee payment. Both university faculty and the SFI have called for a rollback of the fee increase.
Abha Dev Habib, an assistant professor of Physics at Miranda House, expressed her strong disapproval of the fee hike in a Facebook post, saying, "A hike of over 1,200 per cent is unacceptable and unfortunate. Nothing can explain this kind of inflation. It is unacademic as this fee hike will reduce diversity and adversely impact students."
"Scholarships and concessions cannot be a substitute for affordable fees for all. This astronomical fee hike needs to be rolled back immediately. Such an attack on access to education and on diversity is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution of India and cannot be allowed to succeed," she added.
