Delhi University spends Rs 1 crore to help 1,000 needy students pay fees

NEW DELHI: Under Delhi University 's financial support scheme, over 1,000 students have benefitted, officials said, adding that the total grant amounted to over Rs 1 crore.

The university has offered the benefits through fee waivers to work towards affirmative action, said officials. Home visits were conducted after collecting the necessary data as part of the selection process, they added.

Professor Pankaj Arora, dean of students' welfare, said, "The university is committed to extending the benefits of equity, access and quality education to financially weak students. In line with this commitment, the university had announced a financial support scheme that will provide fee waivers to students from the economically weaker sections. This new scheme is a significant step towards ensuring that such students can access quality education without financial burdens."

Under the scheme, the students with a family income of less than Rs 4 lakh are eligible to get a 100% fee waiver while those with a family income between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh are offered a 50% relief. However, the candidates with arrears and back papers from previous examinations can't apply for the benefit, officials said.

"During its centenary celebrations, the financial support scheme is a testament to the university's commitment to providing an inclusive and enabling environment for all students. DU believes that education is a right of every individual and hopes that this initiative will encourage more students from diverse backgrounds to pursue their dreams of higher education at the university and contribute to the nation's progress," Arora said.

He added, "The scheme also reflects the central government's 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' motto. DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh envisioned the scheme and directed its implementation."