Perhaps this is not less than an irony that a large number of students have not got their scholarships at JNU, the top varsity of the country, for past several months.
Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, April 6: “Since January, I have not got scholarship. I had opted for higher education thinking that the government would help. But I am in huge debt right now,” says Jitendra, 2nd year master degree student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
Jitendra was getting MCM (Merit-cum-Means) Scholarship which has stopped for last three months, forcing him to borrow money to run his daily life at the university hostel.
“I am taking money from our parents, teachers and friends. I am in the middle of our research but would not be able to continue it for long in absence of scholarship,” said Jitendra who is perusing masters in Persian language.
This is not just the story of one student at JNU, the premier university of the country, many students of MPhil and PhD programs, who had been getting non-NET fellowship, have also not got it for the last several months.
Perhaps this is not less than an irony that a large number of students have not got their scholarships at JNU, the top varsity of the country, for past several months.
The fellowship crunch has caused hardships especially to those students who come from economically weak backgrounds and are enrolled in research programs like MPhil and PhD at JNU.
“For at least past five months, I and many students have not been getting scholarship. I know some of my friends who have not been receiving scholarship since last October. Whenever we approach the finance department of the university, they say they have no money and money will come in one or two month but as of now we have not received our scholarship. Without any official circulars, the government seems to have stopped financing MPhil/PhD scholars. We don’t know what the issue is actually since there is no official circular,” PhD student Srabani told IndiaTomorrow.net.
She further said: “Recently the Vice Chancellor has issued a circular asking us to submit our AADHAAR card details to get our scholarship. But there is no clarity whether it will apply retrospectively for past months for which we have not got scholarship or it will apply from next time onwards.”
Some students have also alleged that UGC has stopped fellowship to punish the students protesting against UGC/MHRD for a long time.
Interestingly, for the past couple of months, students of JNU have been protesting against the UGC notification of May 2016 that has effected massive cut in seats for MPhil and PhD programs.
“UGC is not giving non NET fellowship for M.Phil/PhD and MCA students for many months. In my case I have not got fellowship for last two semesters. Those students who protest against the anti-students moves of UGC and MHRD are being targeted and harassed,” Rama Naga, PhD student and former JNU Students Union(JNUSU) General Secretary said.
Recently JNU has been honored with “Best University” award from President Pranab Mukherjee for its contribution in research. In another report released by central government’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), JNU has got 6th rank at all India level and 2nd rank in the University category.
But due to this fellowship crunch, many students whose study is solely based on the financial aid are depressed.
Talking to IndiaTomorrow.net, JNUSU President Mohit Pandey alleged the UGC had stopped funds because of “vendetta politics”.
“We already know that how due to myopic policy of UGC (where recruitment of teachers is main problem) JNU has to face massive seat cut. Now fellowship cut is another blow to students. Many students are in the last months of writing their dissertations and thesis. Many have to leave for field work. But due to no fellowship, some are facing serious hardships,” he said.
“JNU finance officer told us that there are some technical reasons due to which UGC has stopped fellowship. We have also written to VC urging him to take this matter seriously and pursue this matter with UGC in capacity of both UGC member and VC, but we have not yet received any communication from him,” said Mohit Pandey.
