Clarion India
DELHI — The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has issued a passionate plea to the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, urging swift action to address a substantial disparity in fellowship amounts under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) compared to other schemes. The organisation, dedicated to advocating for the rights and welfare of students, contends that the recent revisions in fellowship amounts for various NET and Non-NET based schemes have not been extended to MANF, leaving scholars at a financial disadvantage.
In a letter addressed to Union Minister Smirti Irani Dr Roshan Mohiddin, National Secretary of SIO, acknowledged and commended the efforts of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, for revising fellowship amounts for various schemes. However, the letter emphasised that MANF has not undergone a similar revision, resulting in a significant lag in financial support for scholars pursuing research under this scheme.
Dr Roshan conveyed the concerns of the organisation, stating, “As an organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights and welfare of students, we have observed a significant disparity in the fellowship amounts provided under MANF compared to other schemes, especially in light of recent revisions.”
The letter specifically called for the equalisation of the MANF fellowship amount to bring it in line with other schemes such as UGC-JRF, CSIR-JRF, DST-WISE, Savitribai Jyoti Rao Phule fellowship for a single girl child, NFSC, and NFOBC, all of which have witnessed substantial increases in fellowship amounts as outlined in circulars (DST/PCPM/2-06/2022 and F.No.12-212023-U1) dated June 26, 2023, and September 11, 2023, respectively.
The importance of timely disbursement of MANF scholarships was also underscored in the letter. “Timely disbursement is crucial to ensure that students can focus on their research without the financial burden caused by delay,” it stated.
The letter expressed confidence in the Minister’s commitment to student welfare and the understanding of the far-reaching impact that these adjustments can have on academic and research pursuits. The Students Islamic Organisation of India awaits a prompt response and action from the Ministry to rectify the identified discrepancies in fellowship amounts under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, the oficial said.
