Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 29: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has massively hiked basic fellowship grants. The hikes are to be implemented with immediate effect.
The Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) in science, humanities and social sciences will now be Rs 25,000 and Rs 28,000 per month instead of Rs 16,000 and Rs 18,000 earlier, according to the revised rates.
The JRF and SRF grants for foreign nationals have been hiked to Rs 18,600 and Rs 21,700 respectively.
The UGC has also increased the grants for the postgraduate scholarship for University rank holders from Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 3,100 per month for 20 months. The UGC has hiked the grants of 15 schemes under the ministry of human resource development.
Emeritus Fellowship scholars will now get Rs 31,000 per month instead of the earlier Rs 20,000. The post doctorate fellowship grant for women will now be Rs 38,000 and Rs 46,500 per month after two years instead of the earlier Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively.
“The hike will certainly encourage research scholars and the meritorious students. There is also a need to improve infrastructure in institutions and guidance for scholars,” said Basant Sahu, principal Maharishi College of Natural Law.
Similarly, the postgraduate scholarship for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) or Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) qualified students will be now of Rs 12,400 instead of Rs 8,000. Also the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students pursuing professional courses will now get Rs 7,800 for masters in engineering and master of technology and Rs 4,700 for others instead of Rs 5,000 and Rs 3,000 earlier.