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The state government has failed to disburse the scholarship amount worth under post-matric scholarship scheme meant for scheduled caste (SC) and backward classes (BC) students. To protest government’s failure in disbursing the funds allegedly worth Rs 480 crore, 13 different association of colleges from Punjab have decided to participate in the bandh and hoist black flag on their institutes, according to a Times of India report. These associations include engineering colleges, including engineering colleges, polytechnic institutes, nursing colleges, ayurvedic colleges, dental colleges, ETT institutes and B Ed colleges. The unaided colleges have claimed that despite their several attempts, the government has failed to disburse the scholarship funds.

Jagjit Singh, president of federation of self-financed BEd colleges of Punjab told Times of India, "Two years ago, unaided colleges were asked not to charge any fees from SC and BC students by the state government. Moreover, the examination fees of these students too were deposited from college funds but till date despite repeated representation to the CM and deputy CM, the government is not releasing Rs 80 crore for 2.86 lakh students for the 2014-15 academic session and Rs 400 crore of 3 lakh students of for 2015-16." He said if government did not release the money, the next action plan would be decided after Friday as colleges have reached on the verge of closure.

Sabrangindia had reported earlier that over 20,000 research scholars from all over the country were affected by the decision of the central government to change the policy regarding the Non-NET fellowship. The students had protested the government’s stand with its Occupy UGC campaign, which had forced the government to retract its proposal to cancel the Non-net fellowships for the research scholars. However, as the Punjab colleges demonstrated a shut-down, the issue of the scholarships has cropped up once again.
 
 
 
 
 

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Since the Narendra Modi Government has taken its charge, many students of this country are in great trouble. It’s not just because of the widely discussed issues like suicide of Rohith Vemula at UoH and incarceration of Kanhaiya Kumar and his friends at JNU. Apart from these well publicised instances of regime backed atrocities – there are several other issues like fund cuts in education and attempts at saffronisation of higher education by appointing people with RSS backgrounds in important positions are some significant matters which many are bothered about.

Further, one of the serious matters which directly affecting the researchers is fellowship. The debates regarding UGC Non Net Fellowship and UGC’s messing up with it is well known. After several protests throughout the country, the HRD Ministry did set up a committee. The report of the committee was supposed to come in December but researchers are still waiting for the same. The ‘unqualified’ humbug minister seems to be underperformer too. Further, many ongoing fellowship schemes are also in great danger since many of them are being mismanaged in the last two years. The late disbursement system and several months without any fellowships are plaguing the students.

Fellowship schemes like MANF, RGNF and so on are dysfunctional for a long time. Last year some students did visit to UGC and other concerned ministries and were promised that the schemes will run as per law thenceforth, but unfortunately it did not happen. As of now thousand scholars of the country have not received their fellowship for many months. For example the scholars under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme for minority students are without fellowship from last October – November. Other schemes like RGNF SC, RGNF ST, RGNF OBC and so on are also running late.
Most unfortunately fellowship for disabled students has not been released since last July. In these circumstances these research scholars are in great distress.

This repeated late disbursement of fellowships affect thousands of research scholars of the country. Most of the scholars solely depend on fellowship for their needs. Thus, if the fellowship amount is not credited on time, it becomes very difficult to sustain. Researchers literally witness times when they do not have money to support ourselves. Students feel really dejected that they have been pushed down to the level of beggars who have to petition every month for what rightfully deserve as legal entitlements as research scholars. Energy and time are lost much in this process which can otherwise be utilized for fruitful research. Researchers are not even able to concentrate on research, as are constantly worried about the lack of money for basic needs.

Now, whom to blame for all this? Is the assigned Canara Bank and the system or the bureaucracy of UGC responsible? Are the ministries responsible or the entire Govt. itself? Students call and beg to Canara Bank, UGC and Ministries almost every day for the pending money they deserve and when the power leaves them baffled with a mutual blame game, they do not know what to do to get the problem resolved. Researchers wait almost endlessly every month but the hostel authorities will not wait for the mess fees to be remitted; the university authorities will not wait for the tuition fees to be paid; the labs cannot wait for the essential chemicals, tools and instruments to be used from time to time.

This might sound little emotional but it’s the ground reality of the researchers in India. Sometime many wonder and regret of the choice of research over other promising career which would have at least not left them in a situation like this. Please imagine when the employees don’t get salary during the first week of the month. Students appeal not punish them more for choosing to face the challenges of a career in research to contribute to the academic development of the country. Here, it is to be noted that one of the significant reasons mentioned by Rohith Vemula in the tract going around as his ‘suicide note’ for his fatal decision was monetary problems. His pending fellowship was finally disbursed after his death. We would like to ask whether the Ministries, the UGC and the other powers that be whether they want mass suicides to occur across educational campuses of the country.

Thus, we request the concerned authorities at UGC, at various ministries, and power holders at the Govt. to look into the pathetic situation and do the needful at the earliest to resolve the late disbursement of our fellowships. Please act immediately to solve our problem; please give us our monthly fellowship at least within the first week of every month; please let us do our work peacefully and properly.

The post Research Scholars of India Are Under Threat: Appeal by the UGC Fellowships Forum appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
90 days down, the build up to an All India University Strike

It has been close to three months since the‪ #Occupy UGC movement started as a spontaneous response of students to UGC's utterly rash decision of discontinuation of the non-NET fellowship scheme.

Due to the sustained protests, the government was compelled to review the decision, pass it on to the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) which has further passed the matter on to a Review Committee. There is still no clear communication from the Government about the proceedings or decisions of the MHRD, the UGC or the Review committee on the status of the non-NET fellowships.

Over two months ago, on November 5, 2015 the HRD Minister, Smriti Irani had given certain reassurances to the protesting students. There has been no clear-cut reassurance however, from the MHRD, backed by any written order (government resolution) indicating clearly that the fellowship(s) would be either enhanced or expanded. When she met the protesting students, Irani had also assured them of fair representation before the Review Committee; far from representation, for over a month after the first protest, students were not even given an appointment with the Ministry. On January 13, 2016 when irate students finally blocked the road in front of the MHRD, they were given an audience with officials in the MHRD, but not with the Minister.

The workings of the Review Committee meant to look into the usefulness of the fellowship are also suspect. Students were first put in touch with the head of the Review committee who informed them of the Committee’s meeting slated for January 16, 2016. Since then however students have been informed that no further date for any meeting has been fixed. This has been the reason, among others of the decision of the protesting students to intensify the protest. The #Occupy UGC group of protesting students has called the attitude of the government towards students' issues ‘irresponsible’ and further criticized the government for lack of accountability in the functioning of the UGC and the MHRD.

The indefinite delay on part of the government in resolving the issue — discontinuation of the non-NET fellowship scheme that benefits students with lack of opportunity and access—is completely unjustified and intolerable. There is a sense of restlessness and impatience at the absence of any written commitment, Order or GR from the MHRD.

Hence the next one month will see spiraling protests:
1)   A nationwide signature campaign will be started on the January 18, 2016 reiterating the demands for an increase in the budgetary allocation to the non-NET fellowship and an expansion of the non-NET scheme to state universities without any exclusionary criteria, for all research scholars. Also, the signature campaign will raise the demand that the overall budgetary allocation for education be increased to 10 per cent in the upcoming budget session, as fund-cuts in education under World Bank and WTO diktats are undermining the education system in the country.

2)   The signature campaign will conclude by the February 15, 2016 and students from all Universities have been urged to send signatures sheets to the JNU Students' Union office till February 17, 2016. The signatures will be submitted to the MHRD, the President of India and the Prime Minister of India. The signature campaign will also run online, to ensure maximum participation.

3)   The #Occupy UGC Campaign has also called for an All-India University Strike on the February 18, 2016 in all Central and State universities, demanding adequate funds for research fellowships. On the day of the strike, the signatures collected thus far will be submitted to the MHRD.

References:
1. To Study or to Not be Able to Study
2.  Where is the news? Peaceful students protest faces police brutality in Delhi
3. Why higher education in India must not bow to the market

The post Education for All: Join the #Occupy UGC National Campaign appeared first on SabrangIndia.