EPISODE 5: The Fee Factor: Rethinking Affordability in Higher Education

Higher education should be the gateway to opportunity But too often, the fee factor becomes a barrier. Rising costs push deserving students away from quality education, creating inequality. The real question is: how do we make higher education both affordable and meaningful?

Vivekananda Global University (VGU), Jaipur is leading the way with a vision that affordability does not mean compromise, but empowerment—through values, innovation, and student-first reforms.

From Cost to Value

Affordability is not just about lowering fees; it is about maximizing outcomes. A Holistic Education System should ensure that every rupee a student invests results in personal, professional, and ethical growth.

At VGU, affordability is addressed with Student-Centric Education models that keep learners’ needs at the core. Personalized Student Learning ensures no student feels left behind, while scholarships and flexible financial aid open doors for wider participation.

• Transparent scholarships make education accessible across economic backgrounds
• Interactive, project-based learning aligns with the 21st Century Learning Model
• Student-centric teaching & learning replaces one-way lectures with collaborative exploration

This transforms affordability into empowerment, where students gain lifelong skills rather than short-term exam results.

The true value of education lies not in cost, but in character. VGU makes this clear by embedding Value-Based Schooling and Emotional Intelligence in Education into its programs. Students learn resilience, empathy, and responsibility—qualities money alone cannot buy.

Education Rooted in Indian Philosophy—discipline, mindfulness, and social duty—coexists with modern tools like AI-enabled classrooms, virtual labs, and global research exposure.

Here, affordability is more than access—it is about giving students the best of both worlds: timeless values and future-ready innovation.

Affordability Aligned with NEP and Global Standards

India’s NEP-based higher education vision emphasizes inclusivity, flexibility, and multidisciplinary learning. VGU has restructured programs to align with this framework, making quality education more accessible and financially sustainable.

• Flexible academic pathways reduce redundant expenses and encourage focused learning
• Multidisciplinary options give students choice without forcing costly multiple programs
• Guidance for universities with strong ranking & accreditation ensures global competitiveness
• Sustainable and Ethical Learning is promoted through projects on social and environmental responsibility without additional financial burden

By tying affordability with innovation, NEP reforms, and global benchmarking, VGU proves that accessible education can also be world-class.

Affordability as a Philosophy, Not a Discount

The fee factor in higher education must be reframed—not as a cost problem but as a value opportunity. Affordable education should empower students to grow academically, ethically, and socially while preparing them for global futures.

For VGU, affordability is a philosophy. By combining a Holistic Education System, Personalized Student Learning, and NEP-based higher education, with a strong focus on values, sustainability, and innovation, VGU ensures that higher education is not just within reach—but transformative.

Affordability, then, is not about paying less—it is about gaining more.