Non-NET fellowship not to be discontinued, HRD appoints a

Ending days of hostility and apprehension among students, government today asserted that non-NET programme would continue and that a review committee has been set up to have a holistic look into the issues of NET as well as non-NET fellowships.
The committee, has been mandated to look into the aspects of bringing benefits and opportunities of the non-NET fellowship scheme to a large number if universities including state universities.
"The Government has decided to establish a Review Committee to go into the issues related to the research fellowships provided by the UGC, covering both NET and Non-NET fellowships. The Review Committee will submit its report to the Ministry within December 2015.

Irrespective of the recommendations of the Review Committee, all existing and continuing fellowships, NET as well as Non-NET would be continued; there will be no change retrospectively," said a statement issued tonight by HRD Ministry.
"Amongst the issues entrusted to the Committee include feasibility of enhancing the number of NET fellowships, which are merit based, establishing a transparent system of transfer of fellowship amounts each month to the Non-NET fellows.
It also include bringing the benefits and opportunities of the Non-NET fellowship scheme to a larger number of Universities including State Universities, considering economic and other criteria for eligibility for the fellowships and recommending guidelines for the selection, coverage, award, and administration of the non-NET fellowships," it added.

The ministry's statement coincided with Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani's tweet informing that the fellowships will not be discontinued after she met an eight-member delegation including representatives from students union of Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University her at her residence.
"Not being discontinued. Need to include state university students and direct benefit transfer (DBT) so that students accrue benefit directly," she tweeted following her meeting with the students.