Research scholars from across the country are protesting outside the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in New Delhi on Wednesday, January 16. They are demanding an increase in their fellowship amount.
According to a report published in Ground Report, the protesting scholars have three specific demands. First, they want the fellowship amount for JRF, SRF and PhD. to be increased by 80 per cent, as per the promised 20 per cent increase per annum. Second, the scholars are demanding that the fellowship amount should be paid on time without any delays. Third, they want guidelines to be framed under the pay commission in order to ensure the timely payment of their fellowship amount.
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The students allege that the government assured them of addressing their demands by December 31, 2018. The scholars were forced to take to the streets as the promises were not met, Edex Live reported.
Scholars from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University, Benares Hindu University (BHU), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) were a part of the protests. They are planning to shift to Jantar Mantar where reportedly around 2,000 scholars will go on a hunger strike until their demands are addressed.