Government forms separate committee to decide monthly incentive of PhD students

  25-Jul-2019  |   Post By: Ph.D.online

A panel has been set up to decide the monthly incentives for PhD students within one or two month's period of time, an official confirmed in a press conference held at the CSIR Science Centre.

The aim of the committee is to bring all the ministries together to periodically visit the quantum of research fellowship and incentive research.

Constituted ministry and the aim of the hike in a research fellowship.The constituted committee will have officials from various ministries.

These officials will examine all research fellowship and related matters that have a bearing on enhancing the value, quality and experience of doctoral research, including the quantum of fellowship.

Department of Science and Technology Secretary, Ashutosh Sharma said at a press conference that, "They want to look at the value of PhD in a holistic way. PhD students are the backbone in the progress of a country as they strongly contribute to various fields."

Sharma also said that it was needed to reduce the gap between the quantity and quality of the researches.

Revised research scholar stipends

1. The stipend for junior research fellows (JRF) in the first two years of PhD programme was raised by Rs 6000, from Rs 25,000 to Rs 31,000 per month. 
2. The stipend for senior PhD research fellows was increased to Rs 35,000 from Rs 28,000.
3. Scientists working on R&D projects as research fellowships have also received a substantial 30-35 percent hike in financial assistance, the government said.
4. Rs 54,000 per month have been fixed as the highest incentive for research associated activities.
5. All researchers are also entitled with house rent allowances.

Reactions of the researchers
Following a nation-wide protest by the research scholars studying in various types of science and technology related disciples across India, the government finally announced a raise on the incentive of the research scholars and any other personnel enrolled in any discipline of science and technology.

Even after the hike, the research scholars are not satisfied. IIT-Delhi scholars criticised the government for such a minimal hike in the amount of research fellowship.

The IIT-Delhi scholars believe that the country is negligent of the country's research interest and hence sends a clear message to the world about "the sorry state of affairs in the bureaucracy and lack of political will to improve research and education".

They are now demanding for the government to reconstruct the office memorandum and their demands.

Source: Indiatoday.in