Research Scholars at Madurai Kamaraj University await disbursement of fellowship amount
20 May, 2014Ph.D research scholar at the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) A. Jeganathan had filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking information about the shloarship / Fellowship Scheme. Information obtained under the Right to Information Act revealed that the university had been included in the list of institutions chosen for implementing Non-NET Fellowship Scheme.
He reportedly got a response from the UGC that MKU has to implement Non-Net Fellowship Scheme. In the convocation held last year, the Vice-Chancellor mentioned that the fellowship schemes would be implemented soon, but the same still appears to be pending which is adversely affecting the research scholars who are kept waiting. The reply to the RTI application has shown that MKU has been included by UGC for the implementation of the Non-NET Fellowship Scheme and a sum of Rs. 10 Crore had been allotted to it. However, the University is yet to disburse the Non-NET Fellowship Scheme amount to the research scholars.
It has been alleged that more than 150 research scholars at MKU who are eligible for monthly stipend under various government schemes are yet to receive it for the past 11 months even as the academic year 2013-14 comes to a close.
· UGC’s Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship which was aimed at encouraging scholars belonging to SC/ST communities to pursue higher education is disbursed on a monthly basis. There are about 36 scholars waiting for Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship pay out.
· UGC-Junior Research Fellowship is yet to be disbursed to the 62 eligible research scholars.
· Many others who have to get meritorious fellowships too are awaiting the disbursement.
The non-disbursement of the fellowship amount has lead to financial difficulties for the research scholars while the arrears have increased to over Rs. 2 lakhs in some cases.