DU raises fees for the second time in six months: Is inflation management coming at the cost of student affordability?

Delhi University has revised institution-level fees for the 2026–27 academic session, marking the second increase within a six-month period and extending a multi-year upward trajectory in its share of the consolidated student fee. The latest revision pushes the university’s total share to Rs 4,100, up from Rs 3,500 fixed last July, reflecting an increase of more than 17% in half a year.

While the absolute fee level remains lower than that charged by private institutions, college administrators have expressed concern over the frequency and pace of revisions. They pointed out that the cumulative effect of repeated hikes has begun to weigh on students, particularly those from economically diverse backgrounds enrolled in the public university system.

Revised fee structure for 2026–27
According to an internal notification dated January 2 accessed by TNN, the University Development Fund has been fixed at Rs 1,750, while charges for university facilities and services have also been set at Rs 1,750. In addition, students will pay Rs 300 towards the Economically Weaker Section Support University Fund and another Rs 300 towards the University Students’ Welfare Fund.

A college official shared that the concern was not limited to the absolute figures but to the regularity of the increases. “The steady rise every year, and now twice within six months, sends a worrying signal,” the official said in conversation with the TNN. The official added that for a public university, predictability in fee structures was crucial for students planning their education.

Fees more than double over four years
Over the past four academic sessions, Delhi University’s share in the consolidated fee has more than doubled. A TNN report finds The University Development Fund has increased 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. Facilities and services charges, the report suggests, have risen sharply from Rs 500 in 2022 to Rs 1,000 in 2023, Rs 1,250 in 2024, Rs 1,500 in 2025 and Rs 1,750 in the current revision. The EWS Welfare Fund, which stood at Rs 100 in 2022, has climbed to Rs 300 over the same period.

Delhi University institution-level fee components over timeA principal from a leading college noted that the impact of such revisions became more apparent when viewed cumulatively. TNN has quoted the principal saying, “Over time, these hikes add up and affect the overall cost of undergraduate programmes.” The principal said the issue was frequently raised in internal discussions, according to the TNN.

University’s position and affordability concerns

Delhi University has earlier defended fee revisions by citing rising operational costs and inflation, maintaining that annual increases of around 10% were required to sustain university-level services and infrastructure. No immediate response was available from the university on the latest hike.

College administrators, however, have drawn attention to the gap between the stated inflation-linked policy and the scale of recent revisions. The over 17% increase within six months has had a direct bearing on what students ultimately pay, especially when combined with similar hikes over successive years. One of them told TNN that constant increases pushed the accumulated fee for undergraduate programmes in top-tier colleges to Rs 30,000–40,000 per semester, as reported by the TNN.

Another college head observed that while DU’s fees continued to appear modest compared to private or overseas universities, the consistent upward revisions were increasingly being flagged as an affordability concern for students from lower-income backgrounds, reports TNN. The principal added that the issue was frequently raised in internal discussions, highlighting the cumulative impact on students, according to the TNN.
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