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Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
DU Hikes Fees, This Time By Over 20%
New Delhi: Delhi University has steadily increased its fee components over the last three years, with key funds showing significant rises since 2022. The University Development Fund has grown by approximately 67%, while the University Facilities and Services Charges have surged sharply by 200%. Meanwhile, the Economically Weaker Section Welfare Fund has increased by 150% in the same period, highlighting a consistent upward trend in student fees. Continuing this pattern, the university has revised fees again for the 2025-26 academic session. This year's hikes exceed 20% in some key components, more than double Delhi University's stated annual fee hike policy of 10%. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The University Development Fund increased from Rs 1,200 last year to Rs 1,500 this year, marking a 25% increase, while the University Facilities and Services Charges rose from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500, a 20% hike. The Economically Weaker Section Welfare Fund was also raised from Rs 200 to Rs 250, reflecting a 25% increase in just one year. The University Development Fund has grown from Rs 900 in 2022 to Rs 1,000 in 2023, then Rs 1,200 in 2024, and now Rs 1,500 in 2025. Similarly, the Facilities Charges increased from Rs 500 in 2022 to Rs 1,000 in 2023, Rs 1,250 in 2024, and Rs 1,500 this year. The Welfare Fund began at Rs 100 in 2022, rose to Rs 150 in 2023, Rs 200 in 2024, and now stands at Rs 250. These consistent hikes were approved by the vice-chancellor using emergency powers, with the notification on April 3. There was no immediate response from VC Yogesh Singh on the revision. Delhi University has also updated the total annual fees for various programmes for 2025-26. Standard fees for undergraduate and postgraduate students depends on the stream and course chosen. It ranges from Rs 8,000 to over Rs 20,000. The BEd and MEd programmes cost a student Rs 8,931 and Rs 9,046, respectively. Law programmes such as LLB and LLM have fees of Rs 8,087, whereas MCA and MSc Computer Science courses are set at Rs 23,007 and Rs 22,887, respectively. Commerce students will pay Rs 16,900, and the MA social work programme fee is Rs 21,901. MBA programmes vary, with the IB and HRD streams costing Rs 52,279 and full-time executive MBA Rs 60,818. PhD candidates will pay a fee of Rs 8,087. The steady fee increase has sparked concern among students and faculty alike. Professor Pankaj Garg, chairman of Indian National Teachers Congress (INTEC), stated: "Colleges are compelled to approach HEFA for developing infrastructure, while simultaneously, students are being charged hefty fees by the university under the guise of the University Development Fund and University Facilities and Services Charges. However, the university does not actually create any infrastructural facilities for the colleges. ... In government universities, this practice should not be permitted. Colleges should be allowed to retain the funds," he said.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Road to univ: Chaos, anxiety. Repeat
New Delhi: It's the same story every year. A centralised admission test that was meant to reform India's higher education system has instead plunged it into repeated cycles of uncertainty. Since its rollout in 2022, the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) — now mandatory for undergraduate admissions in central universities — has consistently failed to release results on time, throwing academic calendars into disarray, overburdening faculty, and leaving lakhs of students in prolonged limbo. The delay is not just administrative — it's academic, emotional, and financial. For three consecutive years, universities like Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia have had to compress teaching schedules, overlap semesters and conduct extra classes on weekends, simply to keep up with a calendar that has shifted from July to Aug, then Sept, and sometimes even later. TOI took a deep dive into how CUET has fared in the past three years. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi A Reform That Went Rogue When CUET was introduced, it was pitched as a great equaliser — one exam for all, designed to reduce the pressure of sky-high cutoffs and democratise access to top universities. But in practice, it has done the opposite. Each year, CUET UG results, which must be declared within two weeks of the last time, have been delayed by weeks, sometimes months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo In 2022, the results were declared on Sept 15, pushing DU's semester start to Nov — about three months later than its expected date in late July. In 2023, results came on July 15, still later than expected, with DU beginning classes only by Aug 16, after a delay of nearly a month. This year, too, the pattern has repeated: the results were released on July 4, nearly four weeks after the exam ended, leaving universities again scrambling to start their session in Aug. As a result, students who should have begun their university lives in July are stuck waiting, often until the monsoon has passed. Compressed Learning, Overburdened Faculty What seems like a few weeks on paper translates to a deeper disruption on the ground. University teaching calendars have been reduced from 16 weeks of classes to 14, with syllabi rushed through, vacations truncated, and crucial academic feedback cycles eliminated. To compensate for lost time, many departments now run compensatory classes on weekends, sometimes even after official hours. Faculty members juggle two batches simultaneously — in some cases, teaching first-year students in the morning and final-year students in the afternoon. There's little time left for research, mentoring, or even curriculum development. Pankaj Garg, a faculty member at DU's Rajdhani College, described it as a "perpetual fire-fighting mode". "I have never had a single semester run on schedule since CUET began. Teachers have not been provided the 15-day winter break for the past three years despite the UGC rules that grants 10 weeks of vacation," he said. Students Bear the Brunt — and Many Don't Return The delay doesn't just disrupt teaching. For students, it causes deep anxiety and financial strain. With no clarity on when classes will begin, many opt for private colleges to avoid losing a year. But these institutes often demand non-refundable deposits — ranging from Rs 50,000 to over Rs 1 lakh — forcing students to block seats while waiting for central university admissions. While some do shift to DU or JNU once results arrive, many don't. By then, they have already started their semester elsewhere, paid hostel fees, or simply can't afford to lose the money. This results in a quiet but steady loss of potential students for public universities and also leads to a large number of seats going vacant. Those from marginalised or economically weaker backgrounds are hit hardest. Unlike privileged students who can afford to "keep options open", these students must make irreversible decisions. "We paid an advance to a private university in Ghaziabad because waiting indefinitely wasn't an option. Later, when my daughter wanted to join DU, we realised we wouldn't get the advance back. We could afford the loss, but what about families who couldn't? The timelines shouldn't have overlapped like this," said a parent whose daughter appeared for CUET this year. "We finalised admission at a private Pune university. Things were on schedule there. We couldn't risk losing an entire year," said another parent. One Exam, Too Many Bottlenecks At the heart of the problem is the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts CUET alongside NEET and JEE. NTA has struggled with logistical overload, poor communication, and technical glitches — yet faces no formal accountability for repeated delays. The standard excuse is "volume": CUET UG saw over 13.5 lakh registrations this year. A large number of these applicants take to social media, tagging NTA and the ministry of education to demand clarity and accountability. When contacted, there was no immediate response from NTA. Delayed UG, Delayed PG, Delayed Careers The consequences of delays don't stop at UG level. PG admissions, many of which now depend on CUET-PG, are delayed in tandem. This leads to a domino effect — classes get delayed, as do exams, graduation and entrance to MPhil/PhD. The Bigger Problem: One Size Doesn't Fit All Perhaps the most fundamental flaw in CUET is it tries to standardise a highly decentralised system. India's public universities run on vastly different academic calendars, and imposing a single-exam timeline has created permanent misalignment, according to academicians.
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Property owners in south Delhi lament pause on leasehold-to-freehold conversion
An undeclared pause on leasehold-to-freehold conversion for the past two and a half years by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) has put many owners in south Delhi in a fix over the legal status and future prospects of their properties. A total of 264 such applications by owners in Chittaranjan Park, Lajpat Nagar and Defence Colony, among other areas, are pending with the L&DO, which comes under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, since the authority paused the issuance of fresh no-objection certificates (NOCs) in December 2022. The L&DO has cited an impending revision in land rates as the reason for not issuing the NOCs, which are mandatory for the sale and registration of leasehold and freehold properties. The L&DO revised land rates for both residential and commercial areas last in 2017. A fresh rate revision is awaited. A freehold property ownership also gives the owner complete rights without any restrictions over the property's construction, modification, and transfer. When reached for comment, the L&DO did not respond. Many of the applicants The Hindu reached out to said the NOCs are essential to carry out urgently needed infrastructural revamps. 'House needs repair' A property owner in Chittaranjan Park, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, 'Every year, rain causes a lot of waterlogging around my house, causing severe damage to the structure. I want to reconstruct it. Since 2023, I have visited L&DO's office more than 20 times, but I haven't yet got the NoC.' A Defence Colony-based property agent, Pankaj Garg, said, 'I know several such families who are waiting to sell their properties. Many of them, who got these properties 30 to 40 years ago, are old now and can't manage without a lift.' Another property agent, Himanshu Pahwa, said growing families find it difficult to adjust to the continually shrinking spaces. 'At least 15 families I know are waiting to sell these old properties and buy bigger spaces with more luxury in other parts of the NCR [National Capital Region].' Meanwhile, some property dealers see a silver lining amid the long wait for NOCs. 'The delay is a good thing. It has slowed down new developments. This helps us crack deals quicker. Low inventory doesn't give buyers too many options,' said an agent on the condition of anonymity. The L&DO has around 7% of the land in Delhi. The authority gave away these parcels on lease after Independence at nominal rates to establish residential areas. A total of 60,526 properties are under it, of which 34,905 have been converted to freehold. An owner has to meet three conditions to get their property converted to freehold — there should be no unauthorised construction in the leased property, the property must not be put to any other use than the one specified in the lease deed, and it should be free 'from all kinds of encumbrances', including legal disputes and court injunctions.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
DU teachers may be called for duties during summer break, up in arms over circular
New Delhi: Delhi University 's latest notification allowing the administration to summon faculty members for official duties during the vacation period if required has triggered discontent among them. According to the academic calendar, the summer break runs from June 1 to July 20 for most undergraduate programmes and from June 29 to July 20 for those teaching in the second semester. However, a circular issued on May 30 stated that "faculty members on summer vacations can be called for duty assignments, including admissions, examinations, evaluations and administrative work, and they shall have to abide by the same. " The clause has sparked discontent among teachers, many of whom say it undermines the very idea of a vacation and erodes their entitlement to rest and research time. "This notification reeks of the assumption that some of us aren't working just because our semester started late due to NTA delays. It's insulting," said Latika Gupta, assistant professor in DU's department of education. "We are constantly engaged — whether in teaching, guiding PhD scholars, or research. Denying us an uninterrupted break while threatening us with administrative duties is deeply disrespectful to our academic roles. " Pankaj Garg, chairman of Indian National Teachers' Congress, said he was planning to write to the vice-chancellor demanding compensatory earned leave for teachers. "If our services are now effectively non-vacational due to staggered calendars and CUET delays, then we must be compensated accordingly," he added. The notification, issued with the approval of the competent authority, offers no mention of compensation or compensatory leave for those recalled. There was no immediate response from the university over the concerns.
Health Line
07-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Healthy Lifestyle Habits Could Help Prevent Premature Heart Aging
Cardiologists are developing a method for measuring the heart's 'functional age' to help predict complications like heart disease. According to new research, unhealthy lifestyle habits could contribute to premature aging of the heart. Physical activity and eating heart-healthy foods are some of the best ways to preserve your heart's functional age. The concept of trying to understand heart health by determining its 'age' relative to one's chronological age has become a topic of interest among cardiologists, researchers, and physicians. Assessing the heart's functional age could offer a simple, clear way to understand its health status. It might also clarify existing cardiovascular risks that could be minimized by making heart-healthy lifestyle changes. Recently, researchers from the University of East Anglia in England published the results of a trial introducing a novel way to measure a 'functional heart age' using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which could help detect signs of heart disease earlier. The findings, which researchers describe as a 'game-changer,' were published on May 2 in the European Heart Journal. 'In healthy people, we found that heart age was similar to chronological age. But for patients with things like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and atrial fibrillation — their functional heart age was significantly higher,' said lead researcher Pankaj Garg, MD, from UEA's Norwich Medical School and a consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, in a press release. 'For example, a 50-year-old with high blood pressure might have a heart that works like it's 55. People with health issues like diabetes or obesity often have hearts that are aging faster than they should — sometimes by decades,' Garg continued. 'So, this could help doctors step in early to stop heart disease in its tracks… Our new MRI method gives doctors a powerful tool to look inside the heart like never before and spot trouble early — before symptoms even start,' Garg said. 'Functional heart age' vs. biological age Jayne Morgan, MD, a cardiologist with Hello Heart that chronological age may not always be consistent with biologic age. 'The aging process is uneven throughout one's life span,' she told Healthline. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, who was not involved in the study, noted there is not yet an agreed-upon definition of 'heart age.' 'This research is a good first step towards evaluating whether an imaging-based assessment of 'heart age' can provide clinically useful prognostic information,' Chen told Healthline. To better understand the heart's functional age, researchers measured the amount of blood remaining in the heart's left atrium after completing a contraction phase. They also examined the fraction of blood ejected from the left atrium with each heart contraction. The method was validated using 366 heart patients with known cardiac risk factors. Participants' heart ages were older compared to healthy controls, and were significantly higher in people with conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and obesity. 'By knowing your heart's true age, patients could get advice or treatments to slow down the aging process, potentially preventing heart attacks or strokes,' Garg said in the news release. 'It could also be the wake-up call people need to take better care of themselves — whether that's eating healthier, exercising more, or following their doctor's advice. It's about giving people a fighting chance against heart disease,' he added. Signs of heart aging As people age, common heart changes may occur, even among healthy individuals with no prior history of heart problems. For instance, the heart may begin to produce extra beats or occasionally skip a beat. This is not generally a problem unless it becomes persistent. If the heart is frequently racing or fluttering it may be a sign of arrhythmia. In addition, the heart's chambers — its ventricles and auricles — may grow larger with age. As their walls thicken, the amount of blood they can hold decreases. The risk of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), increases, with the accompanying risk of stroke, particularly among older adults. Similarly, the valves controlling the flow of blood as it passes between the heart's chambers may thicken and become stiffer, limiting the flow of blood. Heart valves may also develop leaks, which could lead to fluid buildup in the lungs, feet, abdomen, or legs. What causes premature heart aging? As indicated by the new study, people with certain health conditions may have a higher risk of premature heart aging. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), four common factors that may lead to premature heart aging include: High blood pressure (hypertension) — With higher blood pressure, the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. This can cause the lower left ventricle, the lower left chamber, to thicken and enlarge, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and heart failure. Diabetes — Research has found that having high blood sugar can damage blood vessels in the heart, leading to a buildup of fatty deposits there. It is associated with a greater likelihood of heart disease. High LDL cholesterol — This causes a plaque buildup of a waxy, fat-like substance in arteries that can decrease blood flow to the heart, as well as the brain, kidneys, and other parts of the body. Obesity — Obesity has been associated with both hypertension and high LDL cholesterol levels. How to keep your heart young There are currently no universal measurements for determining heart age, but the Australia Heart Foundation's online Heart Age Calculator can provide you with a quick estimate. 'We are still in the early stages of understanding how best to determine a 'heart age' and how such a calculation could help us to better take care of patients,' Chen noted. To preserve heart health and its functional age, following the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 is a great place to start. Here's a closer look at how lifestyle factors influence heart health. Exercise regularly There is widespread consensus that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise combined with strength training two days a week is the optimal amount for optimal heart health. Leading a sedentary lifestyle has been consistently linked with an increased risk of heart disease and related deaths. 'A sedentary lifestyle causes circulation to slow. The heart muscle weakens, and leads to weight gain, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance,' Christopher Berg, MD, board certified cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, explained to Healthline. Berg wasn't involved in the study. 'Sitting for extended periods of time also promotes inflammation and poor arterial function, and as a result raises your risk of heart disease,' he said. 'Even those who exercise can be at risk if they are sedentary for most of the day.' Beyond exercise, there are ways to enjoyably add more movement to one's day, including: taking walks standing up and briefly getting away from one's desk doing yoga parking a longer distance from the door dancing engaging in any sport taking the stairs instead of the elevator when going up or down just a few floors gardening and doing housework Eat a healthy, balanced diet Build meals from healthy, unprocessed foods as much as possible, with an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, beans, and nuts. For protein, emphasize lean animal proteins. These include skinned poultry, fish, seafood, and low-fat dairy. Alternately, go with plant-based proteins such as beans, nuts, and lentils, tofu (soy), or seitan (wheat gluten). Prepare your healthy ingredients with plant-based oils. These include extra-virgin as olive oil and avocado oil. Try to avoid fast foods, processed meats, and other ultra-processed foods that tend to be high in trans fats that can damage the heart. Of course, be sure to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Coffee and tea without sweeteners are preferable to their sweetened counterparts. Avoid or quit smoking Smoking tobacco increases the risk of heart attacks and atherosclerosis in several ways. Nicotine increases blood pressure, and carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen a person's blood can carry. Smoking can also damage blood and heart vessels. Health experts recommend avoiding smoking and quitting if you smoke. Avoid or limit alcohol Alcohol use has been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke. Current recommendations for moderate drinking consumption call for no more than one drink per day for females and two drinks per day for males. For some people, it may be advisable to avoid alcohol altogether. A growing body of evidence has also linked moderate alcohol consumption to cancer risk. Manage stress Mental health and heart function are interconnected. The AHA notes that depression, anxiety, and stress are linked to heart disease. Social isolation and loneliness are also associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Prioritizing your mental health, therefore, should be part of your heart-healthy regimen. Try to make time to engage with what makes you happy. Take a scenic drive, enjoy a hobby, or spend time with an animal or human companion.
