Delhi University revises fee refund rules under NEP; full refund if students exit within 30 days

Delhi University has revised its fee refund policy to accommodate academic changes introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, including the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) and the multiple entry-exit system.

According to a report by TOI, the revised rules will come into effect from the 2026-27 academic session and will apply across colleges, departments, faculties, centres, the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board and the School of Open Learning.

Under the new framework, students who withdraw from a programme within 30 days of the commencement of classes in their first or odd semester will be eligible for a full refund of fees. No fee refund will be available after the 30-day window, although examination fee refunds may be granted depending on the timing of withdrawal.


The policy also clarifies how refunds will work for students exiting undergraduate programmes under the NEP's multiple entry-exit provisions, including those who choose to leave after completing three years instead of pursuing the fourth year under FYUP. Such cases will be governed by the same semester-wise refund rules.

As reported by TOI, Delhi University has also linked examination fee refunds to the academic calendar. Students withdrawing at least 30 days before examinations will be eligible for a full refund of examination fees, while no refund will be admissible if the withdrawal takes place within 30 days of the examination date.

The revised policy introduces a dedicated refund framework for PhD scholars for the first time. Doctoral candidates who withdraw before the last date of admission for their respective phase, subject to approval from the head of the department, will receive a full refund. A 50% refund will be available for withdrawals made within 15 days after the admission deadline, while no refund will be granted thereafter.

The university has also retained provisions for special circumstances. In the event of a student's death after admission, the entire fee, including examination fees for the relevant semester or academic year, will be refunded to the parents or legal guardians.

Haneet Gandhi, Dean of Admissions at Delhi University, told TOI that the revised policy is aimed at addressing scenarios arising from the implementation of NEP 2020 and providing greater clarity and transparency on fee refunds across different stages of a student's academic journey.

Students seeking readmission or re-entry after exiting a programme will be required to pay fees according to the prevailing fee structure at the time of re-entry.