Students from about 130 universities have approached Union Minority Affairs Minister Smriti in this regard.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Researchers and doctoral students from approximately 130 universities across the country have recently penned a letter to Union Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani, expressing concerns and urging the government to reconsider its approach towards scholarships under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF).
The scholars allege discrimination in the distribution of scholarships, emphasising that while stipends for various research fellowships have recently increased, the MANF scholarship, designated for students from six notified minority communities, remains unchanged. The researchers argue that this lack of revision in MANF contradicts recent adjustments made in other fellowships.
Irani announced the government’s decision to discontinue MANF in Parliament, citing the existence of similar scholarships and overlapping concerns raised by the All India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA). In response, AIRSA, in its letter to Irani, emphasised the crucial role of research in the socio-economic development of the country and stressed the need to encourage investment in fellowship programmes.
The scholars contend that the MANF scheme serves as a crucial support system for minority students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to pursue higher education without financial constraints.
It was highlighted that while other scholarship programmes underwent revisions in 2019, MANF’s scholarship amount has remained unchanged. The researchers point out that various schemes approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) recommend an increase in fellowship amounts, ranging from ₹12,000 for junior researchers to ₹142,000 for senior researchers, effective January 1, 2023.
Researchers from institutions, including Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University, Goa University, Sardar Patel University, Aliah University, Calicut University, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, HSNCU University, Kuma University, and IIMT, have joined the plea. They have urged Irani and her ministry, the nodal agency for scholarship distribution, to expedite the MANF process and ensure timely monthly fellowships for the benefit of students involved.
The letter highlights the collective appeal of central government researchers and PhD students to address the alleged discrimination and uphold the principles of fairness and inclusivity in scholarship distribution.
