DU SOL Fee Hike 2024 Sparks Protests: Students Demand Facilities
DU SOL fee hike sparks protests as students demand rollback and better facilities. Discover why fees have tripled in three years and how it impacts students!
The recent DU SOL fee hike has caused outrage among students, leading to protests over the lack of basic facilities. Despite paying higher fees, students at Delhi Universityās School of Open Learning (DU SOL) are still facing issues like delayed study materials and no access to essential resources such as libraries.
Key Highlights
ā¢ Student Protests: Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), a student group, staged protests against the DU SOL fee hike. Fees have tripled in the past three years, adding pressure on students struggling to afford education.
ā¢ Allegations of Misuse of Fees: KYS has accused the university of using fees collected from DU SOL students to pay salaries and pensions of staff at other DU colleges. The students also claimed that DU SOL does not receive any funding from the University Grants Commission (UGC), making it dependent solely on student fees.
Fee Hike in Various Courses
ā¢ BA (Hons) Psychology: The fee for the BA (Hons) Psychology course was increased to ā¹22,520, which is higher than the fee charged by regular DU colleges like Jesus and Mary College.
ā¢ BA Programs: The fee for BA programs has also seen a sharp rise. In the academic year 2021-22, fees were ā¹4,040 but were raised by 119.5% to ā¹8,870. This sudden jump in the fees has angered many students.
Lack of Facilities for DU SOL Students
ā¢ Limited Access to University Resources: Despite paying increased fees, DU SOL students do not have access to university libraries, campuses, or other key facilities. Students have pointed out that they are charged for university and college development funds and service charges without receiving any real benefits.
ā¢ Delayed Study Materials: Another major issue is the delay in providing study materials. Many students have complained that, despite paying the increased fees, they often receive their study materials late, causing disruptions to their learning.
DU SOL’s Funding Problem
ā¢ Self-Financed Institution: DU SOL was established in 1962 under Delhi University. It is technically a public institution but operates as a self-financing one. Since 1997, DU SOL has not received any government grants or UGC funding. As a result, the DU SOL fee hike is used to cover operational costs, including salaries and pensions of staff.
ā¢ Fee Structure Concerns: Students have raised concerns about the breakdown of the fees, which includes charges for development funds and other service fees. They argue that they are paying for services that they do not benefit from, as most resources are unavailable to them.
Protest Demands
The student protests have focused on several key demands:
ā¢ Rollback of the Fee Hike: The primary demand is an immediate rollback of the DU SOL fee hike to relieve students from the financial burden.
ā¢ Better Facilities: Students are demanding access to resources like libraries, study materials, and university facilities, similar to what regular DU college students receive.
ā¢ More Transparency in Fee Allocation: Students also want transparency in how the collected fees are spent. They are urging the university to ensure that the fees paid by DU SOL students are used for their benefit, rather than for other DU colleges.
Conclusion
The DU SOL fee hike has become a major concern for students, many of whom rely on affordable education through open learning. With the ongoing protests and demands for better facilities, it remains unclear whether the university will take action to address these issues. Students continue to advocate for a more equitable education system where increased costs are met with improved access to resources.
