IIT-B students demonstrated protests as they demand hike in fellowship

IIT-B students demonstrated protests as they demand hike in fellowship

Students at IIT-Bombay demonstrated a protest at the Institute on Friday as they alleged that there has been a drastic increase in the living expense and fees of the institute while the fellowship amount for the research scholars has remained the same. Hundreds of Ph.D. and masters students participated in the rally, which began from the hostel 12 and concluded at the main gate. “We 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 acknowledgment… forcing us to protest,” said a research scholar. Some of the demands of the scholars were “timely disbursement of fellowship through the portal, simpler process to avail fellowship, HRA money to be at par with the actual expense of living in a modest accommodation in Mumbai, a proportional increase in contingency grant and a centralized regulatory body for evaluation of fellowships.” “The scholars have to pay a semester fee of around Rs 17,000, along with mess fees of Rs 27,000, which have been raised by Rs 7,000 in the past one year. This high lump sum payment of around Rs 45,000 every semester often becomes troublesome when the fellowship is minimal and paid very irregularly (except institute fellowship). There are instances when CSIR fellows do not receive their fellowship for six to 12 months,” the research scholars said in a statement.

source https://www.brainbuxa.com/education-news/iit-b-students-demonstrated-protests-as-they-demand-hike-in-fellowship-8975