Scholars have urged the government to reconsider and reinstate the fellowship to enable economically disadvantaged students to pursue higher education.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The central government recently scrapped the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF), leading to a wave of concerns among the academic community, particularly minority students. Despite the government’s assurance that students enrolled until 2022 would continue to receive benefits, the delay in disbursing stipends and the stagnant amount has left many researchers facing financial hardships.
Alfauz Azmi, a PhD scholar from Jamia Millia Islamia, expressed the predicament faced by approximately 2,000 students benefiting from MANF. Azmi highlighted the challenges of being the sole earning member in his family, heavily dependent on the fellowship for livelihood.
The primary issue raised by these students is the delayed disbursement of the MANF stipend, coupled with its stagnant amount, in stark contrast to other scholarship programs.
PhD scholars like Mohammad Amir from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Rahat Zabeen from Delhi University’s Urdu Department expressed their disappointment and frustration, emphasising that the closure of MANF disproportionately affects minority students. The scholars urged the government to reconsider and reinstate the fellowship to enable economically disadvantaged students to pursue higher education.
The announcement of the closure came on December 8, 2023, by Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani, claiming that the MANF overlaps other central schemes. However, student and teacher organisations rejected this reasoning, terming the decision as “anti-minority”.
Despite the government’s promise that students enrolled until 2022 would continue receiving benefits, the reality is different. The scholarship has not been revised since 2019, with the last stipend received in September 2023, causing financial constraints for many students.
Researchers noted that other fellowships witnessed an increase in amount from Rs31,000 to Rs37,000 for junior researchers and Rs35,000 to Rs42,000 for senior researchers, whereas MANF remained stagnant at Rs31,000 for juniors and Rs35,000 for seniors.
Students from around 30 universities across the country wrote a letter to Minister Smriti Irani, urging an increase in the scholarship amount to address what they perceive as discrimination against minority students.
The All India Research Scholars Association emphasised in its letter that investing in and promoting fellowships is crucial for the socio-economic development of the country. They urged the government to recognise the importance of the MANF scheme in supporting minority students pursuing higher education without financial constraints.
The MANF, initiated in 2009 based on Sachar Committee recommendations, aimed to assist minority students, particularly Muslims, in higher education. However, despite being intended for all religious minorities, its focus has predominantly been on Muslims.
As the delay in stipends continues to cause financial problems and mental distress for students, appeals to the government have so far only received assurances that the “work is in process.” The cuts in budgetary allocations for minority schemes, including a 38 percent reduction in the Ministry of Minority Affairs budget for 2023-24, further deepens concerns about the future of these students.
The academic community and minority students now await a response from the government, hoping for a resolution that aligns with the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.’
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