Fee pinch at DU

Wed, May 7 01:05 AM

If you were worried about the upcoming fee hike at the IITs and the IIMs, here's some more news for you. All three central universities in Delhi may soon follow suit.

With the UGC setting up a committee to study the fee structure in universities across India, DU and JNU will also come under the purview. As for the students, while some see it as a positive move if it succeeds in increasing the number of seats, others aren't quite sold on the idea.

Vijay, a student of History at Hindu College, says, "Increasing the fee will be disadvantageous for a large chunk of the students. The needs of all sections of society must be taken under consideration.

" Sakshi from LSR feels that drastic measures need to be taken to increase the number of seats. "Colleges are in a bad shape and a bit of funding will do a lot of good," she says.

Sohit, a final year student at IIT-Delhi says, "The fee hike will hardly effect anyone since majority of the students here get scholarships. Bank loans are always another option.

" However, the fees for DU colleges seem minimal when placed in comparison to those of private bodies. An honours course in English costs between Rs 5000 to 6000 per year in a college like Hansraj.

This seems peanuts when compared to the Rs 27,000 per semester charged by Amity for the same course. Even though the fee hike is aimed at increasing the number of seats from the current 1.2 lakhs to 1.8 lakhs - which is what would be required once reservations kick in - it remains to be seen whether it will have the desired result.

The Dean of Colleges at DU says, "I haven't received an official letter concerning the matter. Any decision can only be taken once we are informed.

" Whether the issue will be received with open arms or treated with hostility is something that only time will tell.

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