New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS): Teachers and student unions on Tuesday criticized the Delhi University administration, claiming that the fee for the English Department's PhD programme has been increased from Rs 1,932 to an unprecedented Rs 23,968.

Professor Abha Dev Habib of Delhi University said that the PhD fees for all other streams have been also doubled. However, the fee hike in the English Department has been more than tenfold -- over 1200 per cent. "It is unacceptable and unfortunate. Nothing can explain this kind of inflation... this fee hike will reduce diversity and adversely impact students. Scholarships and concessions cannot be a substitute for affordable fees for all. This astronomical fee hike needs to be rolled back immediately."

"Such an attack on access to education and on diversity is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution of India and cannot be allowed to succeed. The students, teachers and non-teaching employees along with parents will unitedly fight to roll back the fee hike," she added.

Aishe Ghosh from SFI said that the rising education costs burden students and hinder accessibility to quality higher education.

"We strongly oppose the fee hike in Delhi University, for it is a blatant attack on public funded education. The move limits opportunities and exacerbates financial stress on students and their families. Education should be a right, not a privilege, and we urge for fair and affordable education for all," the SFI said.