With the rampant carnage of the pandemic, Delhi University has taken a crucial decision to waive off fees for students who lost a parent or both their parents to Covid-19. Dean of Colleges, Balaram Pani said the university has asked its constituent colleges to conduct a survey and prepare a list of such students who lost their parents to the coronavirus.
The fee waiver will be 100% and cover all the costs of education. The student will also not have to pay the examination fee. This is applicable for all the students who are suffering from personal losses due to either of the waves of the pandemic.
Officials have declared that under the Delhi University, there are primarily three types of colleges – colleges that are maintained by trusts, colleges that are under the purview of the university and the colleges that are fully or partially maintained/funded by the Delhi government. The initiative to waive off fees will therefore need to be sanctioned by the governing bodies once the varsity finalizes the decision.
A principal of one of the colleges said that the VC can only waive off the university component of the fees. The fees paid by students is made of two distinct components – the college component and the university component. Consequently, the college component can only be waived off by the respective college. He said –
“The college component can only be waived off by the respective colleges while the university component is very meagre.”
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Some colleges have already started the process of identifying students and beginning with the process of helping them in these trying times. While the decision comes as a relief to many, the uncertainties attached to it remain a source of anxiety for people. Colleges have created committees dedicated to this cause to help in identifying students rapidly and to honor this step by the university.
“At the varsity level, we know about the staffers whose wards are studying here and they would be given a fee waiver. At the college level, the college governing bodies will have to implement it. They will have to ask for certain documents which would prove it,” an official said, who wished to remain anonymous.
Principals of many colleges have gone on to welcome the decision and said that they are waiting for an official confirmation to fully put the process on its path. This will be a great help to students coping with their loss along with finding a way to meet the financial demands of getting their education. The final decision is likely to be a hope that will help the students in the future.
