RONO HILLS, Jan 16: The research scholars of Rajiv Gandhi University Wednesday carried out a peaceful protest march here at its varsity campus demanding hike in their fellowships.
The march was led by the Rajiv Gandhi University Research Scholars Forum (RGURSF) at the call of All India Research Scholars’ Association and researchers stepping towards indefinite hunger strike outside the MHRD office, New Delhi today for the same reasons.
The scholars are demanding a minimum 80% hike in all research fellowships (non-NET, JRF, RGNF, MANF et al) from 1st April 2018 onwards, timely disbursement of fellowships, attempts to bring all research fellowships at par, reviewing system for auto increment annually and fellowship provision for extended duration of PhD degree.
General Secretary RGURSF Kosen Jida while highlighting the demands of the protest said the increase in their scholarships has been halted since April 2018. The hike is supposed to happen, automatically, after every four years and even as the HRD minister’s assurance of fulfilling scholars’ demand last year on December 27, there is no development, Jida said.
“We have kept mum because we have been doing research and are interested in our research and we want to give back to our society,” she added. With a monthly fellowship of few thousand rupees, the expenditure for laboratory equipment per student costs lakhs and the increase in admission fee and course continuation fee have always been increased whereas there is no hike in fellowship.

Further steps will be taken if MHRD does not fulfill the demands, said the General Secretary RGURSF.

Talking to media persons here, IPR Secretary of RGURSF Prem Taba informed that hike of fellowships every four years is a mechanism which the government doesn’t work on. 
Expressing resentment over the deficient fellowships that the researchers all over India are receiving, Taba said that research scholars are the most underpaid laborers in India today. This insufficient amount is directly affecting the quality of research works, he added.
“Over the years, apart from the inflation, there has been a timely and punctual hike in mess fees, semester fees, course fees, synopsis submission fees, and other expenses. The mess fee alone has increased from 6000 to 10000 since then, but our fellowship has remained the same. The hike we ask for is needed for our basic day to day expenditure. We are asking for what we deserve; not begging for money,” Taba further said.
Taba Meth a research scholar from the Department of Zoology said, “A nation which has weak research reports will never develop and that if the reforms in the demands are not brought the younger generations would not have a keen interest on Research.”
NESO coordinator Pritam Waii Sonam and Research Scholars of NERIST also attended the peaceful march to extend them support.
Meanwhile, more than 2000 research scholars from across the country staged an indefinite hunger strike outside the office of MHRD, Shastri Bhawan in central Delhi today in support of their long-standing demand of increasing the scholarship amount.
The All India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA) and research fellows from across the country later moved to Jantar Mantar to continue their protest.
Meanwhile PhD Research Scholars of NERIST also held a peaceful candlelight march expressing their solidarity.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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