Chennai: IIT-Madras research scholars Friday staged a demonstration inside the campus here demanding a hike in fellowship amount, its timely and regular disbursal from various funding agencies.
They demanded stipend of Rs 45,000 per month for Junior Research Fellows (JRF) from the present Rs 25,000 and Rs 55,000 per month from Rs 28,000 for Senior Research Fellows (SRF).
The protest was as part of a nation-wide agitation announced by research scholars of IITs, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Indian Institute of Science and other central government-run universities.
Scores of research scholars raised slogans and also took out a protest march to the administration block demanding a hike in stipend for research scholars belonging to Non-National Eligibility Test (NET) category who are receiving a “mere” Rs 8,000 per month.
A research scholar, on condition of anonymity, said, “There was a hike in 2014 pegging the stipend to Rs 25,000 (JRF) and Rs 28,000 (SRF). That clearly is insufficient considering that a huge share of it would be given to families of research scholars.”
Moreover, disbursal of stipends have been irregular and delayed for months, he added. Another said, “There has been a steep increase in basic necessities as result of inflation. Similar conditions like these led to stipend hike in 2010 and 2014.” “The plight of non-NET research scholars is worse as they receive a mere Rs 8,000 per month,” he said.
The stipends are issued by Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University Grants Commission, among others. “We will change the modes of our protest if the government does not listen to us,” a protester said.