JNU To Jamia Millia Islamia: How Much Do India’s Top Government Universities Charge Students?

Government universities are known for affordable education, but fee structures vary widely across institutions and courses. From JNU to Delhi University, here’s how tuition fees and additional charges compare.

Government universities are often seen as an affordable option for students pursuing higher education in India. However, recent protests at Allahabad University over fee hikes have brought the issue of rising education costs back into focus. While some universities continue to charge relatively low tuition fees, others have revised their fee structures over the years.

The total amount students pay also depends on the course, university, semester and additional charges. Here is a look at the fee structures of some prominent government universities in India.

1. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) continues to offer a remarkably low annual tuition fee for its B.A. (Hons.) programmes. According to its 2016–17 prospectus, the annual tuition fee was Rs 216. The university's 2026–27 undergraduate prospectus lists the same amount.

However, students must account for additional charges. These include sports and cultural activity fees, library and medical charges, admission and enrolment fees, and contributions to student welfare activities. The prospectus also lists a refundable security deposit of Rs 40 and other charges for services and university publications.

Although tuition remains unchanged, the total amount payable includes these additional components.

2. University of Hyderabad

The University of Hyderabad has revised the fee structure for its five-year Integrated M.A. Philosophy programme.

An older fee document reportedly listed tuition at Rs 465 per semester for the relevant humanities category, with the first-semester total standing at Rs 4,300. Under the 2026–27 fee structure, tuition for the Integrated M.A. Philosophy programme is Rs 2,640 per semester, while the first-semester total is Rs 7,650.

The current fee includes several additional components, such as Rs 580 for the students' union fund, Rs 260 for the students' welfare fund and Rs 2,010 for medical insurance. A refundable deposit of Rs 2,160 is also included. The university notes that insurance charges may change depending on the rates negotiated with the insurance provider.

3. Jamia Millia Islamia

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has also seen a change in fees for its B.A. (Hons.) Urdu programme over the past decade.

The university's 2016–17 prospectus listed the annual fee at Rs 7,260. In its 2026–27 prospectus, the corresponding fee stands at Rs 10,175. This represents an increase of Rs 2,915, or approximately 40.2%.

However, JMI has stated that there will be no fee hike for courses during the 2026–27 academic session.

4. University of Delhi (DU)

The University of Delhi has different fee structures for its departments, faculties and affiliated colleges. Therefore, the amount students pay varies depending on their programme and institution.

For 2026–27, DU's Department of Computer Science lists the total fee for newly admitted M.Sc. Computer Science students at Rs 24,489. For Master of Computer Applications (MCA) students, the total is Rs 24,617. The department's 2021 fee schedule listed the first-semester MCA fee at Rs 9,670.

DU's MBA programmes in International Business, Human Resource Development and Business Analytics have also seen an increase. Their annual fee rose from Rs 38,000 to Rs 48,000 in 2023–24 and stands at Rs 57,279 for 2026–27. This is an increase of approximately 50.7% compared with the earlier fee.

The university has also issued revised fee structures for M.Com. and Ph.D. programmes. For B.Tech. courses, its revised 2026–27 schedule lists an indicative total fee of Rs 2,46,960.

What Should Students Consider Before Taking Admission?

Tuition fees alone do not reflect the complete cost of studying at a government university. Admission charges, examination fees, medical insurance, library facilities, hostel accommodation and other compulsory payments can increase the overall expense.

Students should also account for food, transport, books and other living costs while planning their education budgets.

Comparing the total cost of a programme, rather than tuition alone, can help students and families make better-informed decisions. Fee structures also differ across courses within the same university, making it important to check the latest official prospectus before applying.