Mar 10, 2025 01:44 PM IST
In 2024-25, Delhi University generated ₹237.3 crore, a ₹33 crore rise from the previous year, with some fee components soaring by up to 300%.
Delhi University plans to generate over ₹246 crore in revenue from student fees for the fiscal year 2025-26, indicating the likelihood of further fee hikes due to rising operational costs, The Times of India reported, citing official financial estimates.
The projected revenue surpasses earlier estimates, suggesting that fee increases may be steeper than anticipated. The Delhi varsity continues to cite student fees as a key revenue source, with collections steadily rising over the years due to consistent fee hikes.
Both students and faculty have raised concerns, arguing that the sharp increase in fees could make education less accessible, particularly in a publicly funded institution.
Many students have expressed concerns over the growing financial burden, citing the already high cost of living in Delhi. While the university justifies the hikes as necessary for maintaining and improving facilities, students argue that affordability is becoming a major challenge.
“With such annual fee hikes projected to continue, how will students cope with the growing costs in the city?” one student questioned. Another added, “I took admission in DU because of its affordable fees, but now it’s getting costly.”
DU has defended the fee hikes, stating that a 10% annual increase is part of its policy to counter inflation.
The TOI quoted DU faculty member Abha Dev Habib as criticising the trend, saying, “The continuous rise in fees is making education more of a luxury than a right, especially for students from lower-income backgrounds. This is an offset of the NEP’s implementation. If public-funded institutions like DU start adopting such practices, what will be the difference from private institutes? We have been opposing this shift because DU is a public institution and should not operate like a private enterprise.”
DU’s past revenue collections and projections for 2025-26
- In 2024-25, Delhi University generated ₹237.3 crore, marking a ₹33 crore rise from the previous year. Several fee components saw steep increases, with some soaring by up to 300%. The University Students Welfare Fund, for instance, jumped from an estimated ₹3 crore to an actual ₹12 crore in 2024-25, according to The TOI report.
- Facility & service charges surge: Fees for university services and facilities saw an unprecedented rise, climbing from an estimated ₹16 crore to ₹70 crore in 2024-25—an increase of over 337%, well beyond standard annual hikes.
- Academic-related fee collection: DU collected ₹6.1 crore in 2024-25 from tuition, admission, laboratory, and library charges, up from ₹5.7 crore in 2023-24. This amount is expected to rise further to ₹6.9 crore in 2025-26.
- Examination fees: Fees for exams, including migration certificates, transcripts, and degree-related charges, saw a moderate increase. DU collected ₹130 crore in 2024-25, up from ₹127 crore in 2023-24, with projections for 2025-26 remaining at ₹130 crore.
- Rising revenue from university facilities: Charges for campus infrastructure, maintenance, and other services surged significantly, generating ₹70 crore in 2024-25—more than double the ₹33.4 crore collected in 2023-24. Projections for 2025-26 stand at ₹75 crore.
- Student welfare fund expansion: Contributions to the Student Welfare Fund increased from ₹9.7 crore in 2023-24 to ₹12 crore in 2024-25. DU aims to collect ₹13 crore in 2025-26, indicating a focus on expanding student support services but adding to the financial burden.
- Miscellaneous charges: DU earned ₹19.2 crore in 2024-25 from fees related to sports and other unclassified services. The projected collection for 2025-26 is ₹21.7 crore. However, this remains lower than the ₹27.3 crore collected in 2023-24, possibly due to fee restructuring or reduced service usage.
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