DST researchers met DST secretary, Ashutosh Sharma and adviser, scientist, DST, A Mukhopadhyay. (Express Photo)After over 400 research scholars held a silent protest holding placards outside the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi on Friday, the DST officials have announced to set-up a new committee which will ensure regular disbursal and revision of fellowship funds. The committee, said the officials, will also ensure that the stipend of researchers is increased at regular intervals and ensure smooth disbursal of research funds.
Research scholars from all across Indian educational institutes including IITs and IISc were on a hunger strike demanding a hike in their stipend, timely disbursal of funds and an annual inflation-based increment on their stipends.
Over 40 research scholars went on a day-long hunger strike on December 21. Other institutes also held protests in their campuses, IISc students created a human chain and many ran a social media campaign #HikeResearchFellowship. Moreover, the research scholars also sent over 5,000 signatures to PMO, DST, UGC and MHRD. Over 400 postcard stating students’ demands also reached PMO last week.
The researcher scholars met secretary, DST Ashutosh Sharma and adviser, scientist, DST, A Mukhopadhyay. During the meeting, the officials assured the research scholars that the stipend will be eventually increased. Sharma told researchers, “The stipend will be increased and an official notification regarding this will be issued soon.” Officials also ensured a “reasonable percentage” hike of the stipend.
The researchers have been demanding to double their stipend which is currently Rs 25,000 for JRF fellows and Rs 28,000 for SRF fellows to be increased to Rs 50,00 for JRF and Rs 56,000 for SRF scholars.
The DST officials said that they will constitute a new committee which will look after timely disbursal of research funds and also increase the stipend on regular basis. Talking to the indianexpress.com, Secretary, MHRD, R Subrahmanyam had said, “DST will probably raise the matter in the Cabinet and the HRD Ministry will comply with the DST’s decision.”
Chairperson, IISc students’ council, Vivek Sharma said, “We trust the government and funding agencies. We hope that our demands will be met as soon as possible. We will not compromise on our demands.”
Research scholar at IIT Delhi, Vickey Nandal said, “We will wait for the official notification till mid-January. If our demands are not accepted, we will hold protest again and at a larger scale, this time it will be outside MHRD.”
