Gauhati University has issued a detailed clarification regarding concerns over fee structures linked to its Five-Year Integrated Master’s Programme (FYIMP) and the revised fees for affiliated colleges under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP), stating that several reports circulated in sections of the media are “misleading” and not based on facts.
The university stated that the Five-Year Integrated Master’s Programme was introduced in May 2023 as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The programme was formally launched in the presence of the Assam Chief Minister and Education Minister and was designed to provide students with a seamless transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies without the need for separate entrance examinations.
According to the university, the FYIMP was launched as a self-financing programme because Gauhati University had to create additional academic and infrastructural facilities without receiving separate grants, infrastructure assistance or additional manpower support. The university said unused hostel buildings were converted into classrooms using internal resources, while additional infrastructure projects, including expansion of the NEP Coordination Centre and construction of a new academic block, are currently underway.
Rejecting reports of a fee hike, the university clarified that no fees have been increased in any programme. It stated that the semester fees fixed during the introduction of FYIMP in the 2023–24 academic session were Rs 16,500 for science subjects and Rs 14,500 for arts subjects. Despite financial constraints, the university said it reduced fees by Rs 2,000 from the 2025–26 academic session onwards for even and subsequent semesters to reduce the burden on students and families.
The university further announced that eligible students from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families enrolled in FYIMP would now receive fee waiver benefits from the current semester onward, describing the move as part of its commitment to inclusive and equitable higher education.
However, the administration cautioned that any further reduction in fees could affect the sustainability of certain FYIMP programmes because the university’s internal resources remain limited. It also clarified that from the seventh semester onward, FYIMP students would be treated as regular postgraduate students and the standard postgraduate fee structure would apply.
In a separate clarification regarding affiliated colleges, Gauhati University dismissed allegations made by the All College Principals’ Council (ACPC) that the university had increased fees “almost four-fold” for colleges implementing the fourth year under FYUGP.
The university explained that the revised fee structure includes a one-time permission fee for introducing the newly added fourth year under the FYUGP framework. It stated that similar permission fees already existed under regulations introduced in 2018 for commencement of the first, second and third years in new colleges, and the same principle has now been extended to the fourth year.
According to the university, the permission fee should not be interpreted as an arbitrary increase, since it follows the existing regulatory framework applicable to new programmes and courses. It also clarified that colleges introducing the fourth year are not required to pay any additional affiliation fee, as affiliation charges are programme-based and not dependent on the duration of the course.
Gauhati University further stated that the revision of affiliation and permission fees has been carried out after a gap of seven years based on recommendations of the statutory Finance Committee. The university maintained that the overall increase amounts to only around 15 per cent over the last seven years and has been implemented keeping administrative and academic requirements in mind.
Reaffirming its commitment to the National Education Policy 2020, Gauhati University said it would continue working closely with affiliated colleges to ensure academic quality, transparency, inclusiveness and institutional development in Assam’s higher education sector.
