Banerjee writes to Centre to reconsider scholarship withdrawal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said she has written to the Union HRD Minister to re-start the non-NET fellowships for M.Phil and PhD scholars, which were withdrawn by the Centre.
"I have a written a stongly-worded letter and asked them (Centre) to reconsider the withdrawal of fellowship, " Banerjee told reporters here at the state secretariat.
She told newsmen that her government will allocate Rs 20 crore to provide non-NET fellowship to research scholars admitted to M.Phil/PhD courses.
The chief minister said in a Facebook post, "During the course of my interactions with university students in administrative review meetings in the districts, they have brought to my notice the great distress caused to them due to stoppage of non-NET Fellowship Scheme for M. Phil and PhD scholars by the UGC.

"The students have narrated with pain that many researchers do not have the money to even pay their hostel and mess fees and some are even faced with the prospect of abandoning their dreams of pursuing research, due to stoppage of non-NET Fellowship," the CM said adding she was informed of their plight only two days ago.
"In the larger interest of research and on behalf of the vast research scholar community of my state and other states - many of them being first generation learners - I have already written a letter to the Union HRD Minister to re-start the non-NET Fellowships for M.Phil and PhD scholars," the CM said on social media.

Stating that aspiration for higher education was rising, Banerjee said in her FB post "I am told, the release of funds by UGC under NET-JRF Fellowships is also erratic or delayed at times, causing uncertainty and distress to the recipients."
The UGC has terminated the fellowship grant of Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000 for non-Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) scholars pursuing M.Phil and PhD courses.