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 were already covered under various other schemes launched 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 communities.
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The notified minority communities included Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs, who were notified by the Central Government, to pursue M. Phil and Ph.D.to pursuing higher education.
The fellowship covered all the Universities and Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The insitutions recognised by the UGC under the fellowship should have the criteria including:
Central/State Universities (including constituent and affiliated institutions) included under Section 2(f) of UGC Act, 1956 and having valid accreditation 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 consultation with UGC and having valid accreditation from NAAC.
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Institution fully funded by State / Central Government and empowered to award degrees.
Institutions of National Importance as notified by Ministry of Human Resource Development
The fellowship was implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs through UGC.
The fellowship holders under the scheme were known as Ministry of Minority Affairs scholars.
What was the scheme’s scope?
The fellowship 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 Assistant 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.
