DSEU revokes fee waivers for SC, ST, and EWS students, bars ‘fee defaulters’ from exams
New Delhi: The Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) has revoked a 20 per cent fee concession for SC and ST students and a 10 per cent waiver for the EWS category, raising concerns among those affected.
Several students said they were concerned not only by the revocation of waivers, but also a recent fee hike and the criteria to exempt “fee defaulters” from taking exams.
The DSEU, a state established and funded Institute has revoked the concession provided to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students starting the 2024-25 academic session and has hiked the fees by up to nine times for majority of its 80 courses, except the master’s programmes, Aawaz, the varsity’s students’ body, said.
The revised fees can be viewed in DSEU’s admission brochure -- Information Bulletin 2024 -- which provides the complete fee structure of courses offered at the university. Asked about the fee hike and revocation of the concession for SC, ST, and EWS students, DSEU Vice-chancellor Ashok Kumar Nagawat told news agency that the hike has been effected based on the recommendations of the Finance Committee considering the funding crunch and financial burden on the varsity.
He added that the committee is slated to meet next on July 31 and will discuss the matter.
According to the bulletin available on the website, the fees of Bachelor of Optometry for first-year students has increased to around Rs 1.10 lakh per annum (including other annual charges) from Rs 29,700 in 2023-2024.
The fees have been increased to the same amount in other courses such as BSc Data Analytics (previous fees Rs 41,580) and Bachelor of Computer Science (previous fees Rs 34,940), the document shows.
“There will be an annual increase of 10 per cent in the fees. The semester fee will be accordingly based on that,” the bulletin also states.
On June 17, the varsity issued a list of of hundreds of “fee defaulter” students, barring them from sitting in the end term examination as well as from taking classes, the students’ body alleged. The list was released on an official WhatsApp group of the administration which was shared by the respective campus directors with students, Awaaz claimed.
“Dear all, please find the attached herewith list of students who have not paid their fees till date. These students are not allowed to sit for the end term examination (even semester). Campuses are requested to take note of this (sic),” read the message forwarded to students from Ritu Sareen, Assistant Registrar (Academics).
“Students who pay their fees through education loan will be allowed to sit for their examination subject to the condition that they will produce the documents that their loan is under process.
Campuses are requested to share the details of such students so that we can update our record and not send messages for fee payment (sic),” read another message
shared by an official in the same group.
