Delhi University Increases Fees Again, Second Hike in Six Months
This increase far exceeds the university's own policy, which stipulated that annual fee hikes should be limited to approximately 10 percent to account for inflation.
Delhi University (DU) has increased fees for its university-level facilities for the academic session 2026-27. This marks the second fee hike in the last six months, raising concerns among students and colleges. This increase also highlights a long-standing trend of continuously rising fees at DU. The total fee for the university component now stands at ₹4,100, an increase of ₹600 from the ₹3,500 fee set last July – a 17 percent increase in just six months.
This increase significantly exceeds the university's own policy, which stipulated that annual fee hikes should be limited to approximately 10 percent to account for inflation. College administrations have expressed concern about the rapid pace and frequency of these fee increases. They argue that, as a public university serving students from diverse economic backgrounds, frequent fee hikes are a worrying sign in the long run.
DU Fees Increased for the Second Time in Six Months
According to the revised fee structure, the university has increased the University Development Fund to ₹1,750 and the University Facilities & Services Charges to ₹1,750. In addition, students will have to pay ₹300 for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) Assistance Fund and ₹300 for the University Students Welfare Fund. Last July, DU had set its fees at ₹3,500. At that time, the University Development Fund was ₹1,500, and the University Facilities Charges were ₹1,500. The EWS Welfare Fund was ₹250.
DU's centralized fees have more than doubled in the last four academic sessions. The University Development Fund was 900 in 2022, which increased to 1,000 in 2023, 1,200 in 2024, 1,500 in 2025, and has now reached 1,750 in 2026. Similarly, Facilities & Services Charges have also increased from 500 in 2022 to 1,750 now. The EWS Welfare Fund has increased from 100 in 2022 to 300.
Increased concern among students and parents
The university defended the fee hike, stating that operating costs and inflation are rising, and an annual increase of approximately 10 percent is necessary to maintain university-level facilities and infrastructure. However, college administrations say that the continuous fee increases over the past few years, and the recent hike of over 17 percent, have put increased pressure on students.
College principals stated that the total fees for undergraduate programs in top-tier colleges have now reached 30,000-40,000 per semester. One college principal said that although DU's fees are still lower compared to private or foreign universities, the continuous increase in fees at a public university indicates a worrying trend. If this pace continues, the financial burden on students and their families could increase significantly in the coming years.
