Delhi Skill University Witnesses Sharp Decline in Seats and Enrolment
Established in 2020 with the noble aim of providing job-oriented skill education to youth from low-income and underserved communities, the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) is now grappling with a significant crisis. According to data submitted to a Delhi government-appointed committee, the university has experienced a sharp decline in both seats and enrolment, raising serious questions about its effectiveness and accessibility.
Steep Drop in Diploma Intake and Course Offerings
The data reveals a troubling trend: diploma intake at DSEU has plummeted by 44%, falling from 5,286 seats in 2020 to just 2,970 in 2025. Concurrently, the number of diploma courses has been reduced from 28 to 17, indicating a substantial contraction in educational opportunities. Perhaps most alarmingly, all 802 girls-only diploma seats have been eliminated, marking a significant shift away from initiatives designed to promote gender inclusivity in skill development.
Widespread Vacancies and Programme Closures
Enrolment remains critically weak across DSEU campuses, with 39% of seats currently vacant in the ongoing academic session. A staggering 26 out of 37 programmes are operating at less than half capacity, and 12 programmes are running below 25% capacity. At the Wazirpur-I campus, a diploma course with 40 seats has only one student enrolled, highlighting the depth of the enrolment crisis.
Between 2022 and 2024, the university shut down 3,332 out of 8,107 undergraduate seats, representing a 41% reduction in capacity. The year 2023 alone accounted for 78% of these seat closures, with 14 courses discontinued, leading to 2,288 seats being eliminated. In 2024, nine more programmes were axed, reducing another 780 seats. Several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes launched in recent years have since been discontinued due to persistently low enrolment.
Dramatic Fee Escalation and Infrastructure Issues
The decline in enrolment has coincided with a steep and concerning escalation in fees. Diploma fees, which were approximately Rs 30,000 initially, rose to Rs 49,650 by 2021-22, increased marginally to Rs 51,700 over the next two years, and then jumped dramatically to over Rs 1.9 lakh in 2024-25. Although fees have slightly reduced to about Rs 1.8 lakh this year, this still represents nearly four times the earlier level, potentially pricing out the very communities DSEU was intended to serve.
Compounding these issues, infrastructure at the university has deteriorated significantly. Multiple campuses have reported non-functional laboratories and smart boards, while basic facilities such as toilets and drinking water have been categorised as moderate to poor, further undermining the learning environment.
Specific Programme and Campus Performance
The data highlights several underperforming programmes and campuses. For instance, the UG diploma in hotel management at Wazirpur-I campus has only one student enrolled against 40 seats, a mere 2.5% fill rate. Similarly, the UG certificate in AI in office operations at Shakarpur campus has filled only three of 40 seats. At the campus level, Wazirpur-I is operating at a 2.5% fill rate, Jaffarpur at 10%, Dr HJ Bhabha campus at 22%, and Kasturba Pitampura girls’ campus at 24%.
Postgraduate programmes have not been spared either, with five PG courses shut down in 2024, including MBA programmes in retail management, healthcare facility management, and management information systems, as well as PG diplomas in cyber law and precision engineering.
Government Scrutiny and Lack of Response
A meeting was recently held between DSEU officials and the Delhi government-appointed panel to review complaints of alleged malfunctioning at the university. In December last year, a four-member panel was constituted to examine DSEU's overall functioning, including the impact of merging 10 government polytechnics and World Class Skill Centres, following repeated complaints of governance lapses.
Despite these developments, there has been no immediate response from DSEU registrar Shailendra Singh Parihar regarding the alarming data and the ongoing crisis. The situation underscores the urgent need for corrective measures to realign DSEU with its original mission of empowering youth through accessible, quality skill education.
