OU PhD Aspirants Urge Government To Undo Fee Hike

They said that the five-year hiatus in PhD admissions from 2018 to 2022, despite holding an NAAC ‘A’ grade, was causing heartburn. To add to their misery, on resumption of admissions in 2022, stringent entrance exam rules have been clamped, causing disappointment among the successful candidates.

The contentious issue arose when OU authorities unilaterally increased PhD fees from Rs 2,000 to Rs 1 lakh for arts and other departments, while it rose to Rs 1.25 lakh for science, engineering and related streams. Despite a five-month protest by research students, the university and government remained steadfast and refused to rollback fees.

"Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had previously raised the matter in the Legislative Assembly and had condemned the BRS government while demanding a rollback. However, the students have been left in limbo," said Karthik Nindyala, a PhD student.

Now, with the Congress government in power and Bhatti as Deputy Chief Ninister, the students are hopeful of a decision in their favour.

AISF secretary Nelli Satya emphasised the need for a dialogue with Revanth Reddy to address the financial burden on research scholars and to ensure equitable access to education.

The research students are reminding the government of its promises in this regard and seeking relief for aspiring students from the financial strain.

"A friend of mine who is a chemistry topper, had cleared the UGC national entrance test and was also selected for the fellowship. However, he was unable to apply for a PhD that he rightfully deserves, because of the sudden rise in fees. I hope the new government will live up to its promise of making education accessible," Satya said.