Research scholars in IIT Madras, Delhi demand hike in fellowship
Sheena Sachdeva | May 15, 2023 | 02:37 PM IST | 2 mins read
Researchers in IIT Madras, Delhi, Palakkad have demanded 80-100% hike in fellowship , in line with inflation.
NEW DELHI: Research scholars at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras organised a protest on Sunday demanding hike in fellowship. “The protest comes in the backdrop of a larger movement by research scholars all across the country demanding a similar increase in stipends,” said a social media post of Chintabar, a student collective at IIT Madras.
The social media post stated that the last hike in research fellowships happened in 2019 with a meagre increase of 24%. However, current inflation has left research scholars cash-strapped once again. A student who attended the protest said in the post: “Research itself is an uncertain process but having to do it while being cash strapped and being expected to provide for family makes our lives miserable.”
The Department of Science and Technology on May 9 had responded to the plea of the scholars over a social media post stating, “The issue of the fellowship hike is top of our priority. DST and other departments are already working on it. We appeal to students to have patience. The issue will be resolved soon.”
Protests in IIT Delhi, Palakkad
Similar protests were organised by research scholars at IIT Delhi on May 10 with several scholars demanding an increase in fellowship grants for PhD scholars. “Education is a right, not a privilege,” said a social media post of All India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA). IIT Palakkad students also organised a protest recently on the issue.
In August 2022, AIRSA had written to DST demanding a hike in fellowship for research scholars. But there has been no response to that yet.
A statement from a student in the post said: “We demand 80-100% hike that was asked for way back in 2019. We also demand the same for all such stipends whether M Tech or PhD. We also ask the administration to refrain from any further hike in fee until this issue is resolved.”
The social media post also mentioned that the Union government has also slashed the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) grant for minorities across state universities.
Follow us for the latest education news on colleges and universities, admission, courses, exams, research, education policies, study abroad and more..
To get in touch, write to us at news@careers360.com.
Quick Watch
]Next Story
]Featured News
]- Karnataka coaching centres may face 5-hour daily cap, no under-15 enrolment, Rs 5 lakh fine for violations
- Why was Anbil Mahesh arrested? Tamil Nadu’s Rs 400-crore private school approvals case explained
- After AMU and Jamia, BHU students launch agitation for union polls, on hold for 3 decades
- MUHS Nashik plans 865 new colleges: 51 for MBBS, most in small towns; big push for allied health sciences
- NSO Survey: Nearly 50% of children travelling at least 1 km to school walk, more so in rural areas
- At 7 IITs, 1,495 reserved SC, ST, OBC faculty posts vacant; IIT Kharagpur alone has 710, reveals RTI data
- In a first for NEET UG Counselling, costliest medical colleges slash MBBS fees up to 40% as seats go vacant
- ISRO communication and media scholar India’s sole representative from field in world top 2% scientists list
- Boomerang effect? Jadavpur bookstalls report fourfold rise in sales after Durga Puja attack sparks resistance
- Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling: HC refuses to let medical college hold own MBBS rounds, says plea ‘premature’