By Yogesh Maitreya, Twocircles.net
Mumbai: Students from various universities and colleges in Mumbai and Aligarh Muslim University joined their counterparts in Delhi to protest against the recent UGC (University Grant Commission) decision to scrape Non-NET fellowship/Scholarship.
Given how this decision is likely to severely impact students’ lives, students from TISS, IIT, IIPS, TIFR and Mumbai University extended their solidarity with the students from various Universities (JNU, Jamia, DU, Ambedkar University) across Delhi who have occupied the UGC Office in New Delhi and are still on protest. They demanded an ‘Immediate revoking of decision to scrap the Non-NET fellowship and increase the non-Net fellowship amount.’
Students in Aligarh Muslim University issued a memorandum during the protest, addressing it to Ved Prakash, Chairman, UGC. “This will prove disastrous for students whose families are economically weak to support them in research pursuits. This decision seems politically motivated as the central government appears to privatise higher education by resorting to huge budgetry cuts for education, thus, depriving the underprivileged students from receiving higher education.”
The protestors appealed to the government “to look into the crisis and revoke the deconstructive decision of the UGC and save the future of research scholars across India.”
Last week, a number of students protesting in Delhi against the decision were detained for over 12 hours, while others were lathicharged upon. Although the government has reportedly said that it will not revoke the scholarships, student bodies have decided to continue their agitation until there is a formal announcement on the same. As of Tuesday, students in Delhi continue to sit outside the UGC office and continue their protests.
Related:
‘Occupy UGC’ movement in Delhi sees students detained, lathicharged
Students occupy UGC building to protest scrapping of fellowship