The Centre has done away with Maulana Azad Fellowship for minority students f rom 2022-2023.
Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani herself announced the government’s decision inside Parliament on Friday, stating that the fellowship would no longer be there♋ for minority students to avai l.
Irani argued that government that the minority students ꦐwere already covered under various other schemes launꦆched by the government, and it was the reason that the decision was taken to remove it.
Here is all about the fellowship, which now no longer exists:
The fellowship was dedicated to provide five year fellowships in the form of financial assistance to students from six notified minority communiꦐties.
The notified minority communities included Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs, who were notified by the C🗹entral Government, to pursue M. Phil and Ph.D.to pursuing higher educa⛎tion.
The fellowship 𝓀covered all the U🤡niversities and Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The insitutions re👍cognised by th😼e UGC under the fellowship should have the criteria including:
Central/State Universities (including constituent and affiliated in꧋stitutions) included under Section 2(f) of UGC Act, 1956 and having valid accrওeditation from NAAC.
Deemed Universities under Section 3 of UGC Act i.e. Institution for higher education notified by Central Government to be deemed University, in co🎐nsultation with UGC and having valid accreditation from NAAC.
Institution fully funded by State / Central💯 Government and empowered to award degrees.
Institutions of National Importance as notified by M🧸inistry of Human Resource Development
The fellowship was implemeꦬnted by the Ministr𝔉y of Minority Affairs through UGC.
The fellowship holders unde💝r the scheme were known as Ministry of Minority Affairs scholars.
What was the scheme’s scope?
The fellowship൲ catered to the minority community students 🧜pursuing regular and full time research studies leading to award of M.Phil/Ph.D degree within India only.
It enabled them to be eligible for employment to the posts with M.Phil and Ph.D as pre- requisites, including the posts of Assista🧸nt Professors in various academic institutions.
What are the apprehension of the students after removal of the fellowship?
The student bodies are apprehensive that the doing away with the fellowship will impact a number of Muslim, Sikh and Christian students who are not considered as OBCs in various states.
