Delhi University To Provide Full Fee-waiver To Those Who Lost Parents To COVID: What We Know

Amid the second wave of Covid-19, Delhi University is mulling fee waivers to university students who have lost their parents to the novel coronavirus infection, officials said. The varsity has written to its colleges to conduct a survey and prepare a list of such students who have lost either one or both their parents to the virus.

¡°Delhi University has written to its colleges to conduct a survey of students who have lost their parents due to coronavirus. We have sought a report in the matter by Monday,¡± Dean of Colleges, Balaram Pani told PTI.

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What kind of waiver will it be

According to officials, there are three types of colleges under the Delhi University. These are colleges maintained by trusts; those maintained by the varsity; and the colleges fully or partially funded by the Delhi government. There are 28 colleges fully or partially funded by the Delhi government, including 12 that are fully funded by the AAP dispensation.

The fee waiver, which will be 100 per cent, will be applicable for students who have lost either of the parents or both to the virus in both the waves of the pandemic. They won't even be charged examination fees.

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The principal of one of the DU colleges, requesting anonymity said, that when the VC says they are giving a fee waiver, they can only waive off the university component of the fees. "There are two components of the fees -- college component and the university component. The college component can only be waived off by the respective college while the university component is very meagre," he explained. Some colleges at their level have already started the process.

What DU officials are saying

The principal of one of the colleges funded by the Delhi government said, ¡°We welcome the initiative. Once the decision is finalised by the varsity, we will put it forth our governing body and get it approved. Since ours is a college funded by the Delhi government and it is a financial matter, we will need to get it approved by the governing body.¡±

P C Joshi, acting vice-chancellor of the varsity, underlined that the varsity is ¡°actively considering¡± the fee waiver matter. At a prayer meeting held in the memory of varsity employees who lost their lives to the infection, the VC stressed that providing free education to all Delhi University (DU) students who lost their parents in this pandemic till they are studying here is going to be a key area for the administration.

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Manoj Sinha, the principal of Aryabhaytta College, said they will honour the decision of the varsity. ¡°We will play our part in it and this will be our social contribution. We have formed a Students Fee Concession and Scholarship Committee that will identify the students. We are trying to help the students. We reached out to some of the NGOs who supported the students during the first wave," he said.