5-member review panel appointed by Govt to review research grants offered by UGC

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✹ Amid unrelenting protests by students against the scrapping of the non-NET fellowship by the University Grants Commission, the government has appointed a five-member panel to review the research grants offered by UGC. The panel will submit its report to the HRD Ministry by December, 2015.

✹ The Central Government has also directed the UGC not to implement the Commissions decision to discontinue the non-NET fellowships and continue all existing fellowships,"

✹ The committee has been asked to: determine the feasibility of enhancing the coverage of NET fellowships which are merit based, establish a transparent system of transfer of fellowship amounts.

What is the protest all about :-

✹ UGC had resolved to discontinue the scheme of non-National Eligibility Test (NET) fellowship, which is provided to those undertaking research in central universities across India, in a meeting held on October 7, contending that the fellowship programme was discriminatory in nature and lacked uniformity among universities in the selection process.

✹ The Commission had also cited shortage of funds as the reason behind inability to provide fellowships, triggering protests last week by the students from universities across Delhi demanding that the decision be revoked.

✹ Under the scheme, financial assistance was provided to students undertaking MPhil and PhD of Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000 per month respectively. PhD students got assistance for four years and MPhil students for 18 months. They also got a contingency amount per year to help them carry out their research.

✹ Hundreds of students from JNU, DU, Jamia Millia, Ambedkar University and other institutions have been camping outside UGC office since last week demanding that the authorities restore the fellowships.