After days of protests by students opposing the plan to discontinue the University Grants Commission’s non-National Eligibility Test fellowship, the human resource development (HRD) ministry on Sunday appointed a review committee to look into the issue.
HRD minister Smriti Irani, meanwhile, said non-NET fellowships would continue and there was a need to include students from state universities in it. The announcement came after she met an eight-member delegation of students from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
In a tweet after meeting the students, Irani said, “Not being discontinued. Met @ABVPvoice re need to include state uni students n dbt so that students accrue benefit directly (sic).” The tweet was in response to a concern raised by CPI(M) MP in Rajya Sabha, Ritabrata Banerjee, who had also written to the minister expressing concerns over the decision to scrap the non-NET fellowship.
HT had first reported about UGC’s decision to do away with non-NET fellowships on October 20.
A release from the ministry said a review committee has been appointed to look into issues related to research fellowships provided by the UGC — both NET and non-NET. “The ministry is in the process of reviewing the current research framework, efforts, opportunities, quality and output,” it said. The committee will submit its report by December.
{{/usCountry}}A release from the ministry said a review committee has been appointed to look into issues related to research fellowships provided by the UGC — both NET and non-NET. “The ministry is in the process of reviewing the current research framework, efforts, opportunities, quality and output,” it said. The committee will submit its report by December.
{{/usCountry}}The UGC, on October 7, had resolved to discontinue the scheme of non-NET fellowship provided to students undertaking research in central universities. Meanwhile, left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) said: “JNUSU president was not informed about the meeting. Why only ABVP representatives met her?”