Following Protests In Delhi, Now Researchers At IIT-Bombay Out In Protests Against ‘Minimal’ And ‘Irregular’ Fellowship

Following similar protests in Delhi, research scholars of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) held a protest at the institute on Friday (20 December) with a demand for increasing the fellowship amount, reports The Indian Express.

Hundreds of PhD and masters students reportedly participated in the march alleging that the fellowship money for research scholars has not been revised for the last four years while raising concerns about the rise in living expenses and fees in the institute.

“We (research scholars) had sent a letter to the MHRD and the department of science and technology. We also sent representations, including 2,000 signatures, with a cover letter. But there was no response or acknowledgement… forcing us to protest,” a research scholar was quoted in the report as saying.

Protesters have called for timely disbursement of fellowship through a portal, simplifying fellowship processes, house rent allowance (HRA) to be at par with the actual living costs in a modest accommodation in Mumbai and a proportional increase in contingency grant.

“The payment of around Rs 45,000 every semester often becomes troublesome when the fellowship is minimal and paid very irregularly (except institute fellowship) ” a statement by the research scholars read.