Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, June 13: With no clarity or communication from the Government, distressed scholars from J&K under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) today said they have not received stipends for several months, forcing them to endure immense hardships.
Scholars pursuing Ph.D. programs in J&K and elsewhere said that despite repeated Government assurances, MANF stipends have not been disbursed for months.
“Many students have not received any fellowship since January 2025, while others are waiting for their dues as early as September, October, November, or December 2024. This prolonged delay has made our lives extremely difficult,” said scholars who are beneficiaries of the fellowship.
It is worth noting that in December 2022, the Government discontinued the MANF- a scheme that provided financial assistance to students from minority communities pursuing M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs cited overlap with existing fellowships such as the UGC-JRF and CSIR as the primary reason for the discontinuation.
However, the Ministry had also assured that the existing MANF fellows will continue to receive fellowships till the end of their respective tenure, subject to compliance with the extant guidelines.
As the stipends are nowhere to be seen, many scholars have been forced to return to their homes due to the lack of financial support, as continuing research without a stipend has become unsustainable.
Several others, they said, are on the verge of quitting due to mounting financial pressure and mental stress caused by the prolonged delay.
“Those still residing in hostels are unable to pay even basic mess bills. The situation is so dire that some are surviving on minimal or borrowed resources,” they added.
The aggrieved scholars pointed out that those among them who are married are in an even more critical situation, as they have to support not just themselves but also their families.
“Some of us are orphans or the sole breadwinners of our families and rely entirely on this fellowship to manage both academic and domestic responsibilities. Their condition is especially heart-wrenching,” they said.
According to the scholars, the concerned Ministry has not released the fellowship amount for the past six months.
“Despite our repeated efforts to seek clarity from the authorities, we have not received any valid explanation or satisfactory response,” they said.
Regarding the Government’s response, the scholars said the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has not issued any official statement or timeline for the release of pending MANF stipends and appears to be avoiding direct engagement.
“Replies to RTI applications have been vague and non-committal, with no clear answer on when the pending stipends will be disbursed,” they said.
The aggrieved beneficiaries also noted that their grievances submitted through CPGRAMS and the PG Portal have gone unanswered, despite multiple reminders.
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