Assam: Dibrugarh University justifies fee hike, VC says decision due to inflation

DIBRUGARH: Dibrugarh University on Wednesday said that there was no question of rollback of the fees hike which it has announced for the academic year 2022-23.

Dibrugarh University had recently announced a hike in the annual fees for its Arts, Science and Commerce streams triggering strong protests from the student community.

On Tuesday night, members of the Dibrugarh University Post Graduate Students’ Union staged a protest seeking a rollback of the decision. The Dibrugarh University authorities had hiked the annual fees for Arts and Commerce stream from Rs 4,489 to Rs 5982 and Science stream from Rs 6,913 to Rs 9,194 for the academic session 2022-23.

Also Read: Assam: ACMS demands social security for small tea garden workers

Addressing a press meeting on Tuesday, Dibrugarh University vice chancellor Jiten Hazarika said, “There has been no change in fees structure in Dibrugarh University in the last 12 years. It is just a nominal hike and no one feels happy to hike the fees but we have been compelled to take the decision due to rising costs and inflation.”

He added, “On July 25, we had a meeting with the Dibrugarh University Teachers’ Association, Dibrugarh University Officers’ Association, Dibrugarh University Employees’ Association, Dibrugarh University Scholars’ Association and the Dibrugarh University Post Graduate Students’ Union. Except for the DUPGSU, everyone supported the fees hike decision.”

Dibrugarh University joint registrar Binod Bora pointed out that the fees of Dibrugarh University were the lowest among all universities in Assam.

Also Read: Assam: NFR cancels several trains for infra development at railway stations. Which trains cancelled? Know here

He said, “Dibrugarh University’s annual fees for the Arts stream is Rs 5,982 while Gauhati University charges Rs 8,975, Tezpur University charges Rs 12,993, Bodoland University charges Rs 9,840 while Assam University charges Rs 9,445. In Science, Dibrugarh University’s annual fee is Rs 9,194 while Gauhati University charges Rs 10,895, Tezpur University charges Rs 15,993, Bodoland University charges Rs 19,000 while Assam University charges Rs 18,845.”

“Similarly in Commerce stream, the fees in Dibrugarh University is Rs 5,982 while Gauhati University charges Rs 8,975, Tezpur University charges Rs 12,943, Bodoland University has no Commerce stream while Assam University charges Rs 9,445,” Bora said.