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JNUSU up in arms over UGC circular

NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union is up in arms against a recent circular from the University Grants Commission stating that any fresh disbursals of the Rs.3,000/5,000 fellowships have been stalled for “formulating guidelines”. “A letter from the UGC dated September 2007 addressed to Vice-Chancellor B. B. Bhattacharya has mentioned that it has stalled any fresh disbursal of fellowships and that a committee has been constituted to finalise the guidelines and date of application for the fellowships. This committee, comprising Vice-Chancellors of six universities, is to be chaired by Prof. Bhattacharya,” said JNUSU president Sandeep Singh.

“Such a move is extremely insensitive and is bound to put the student community in great trouble as many students have been eagerly awaiting the fellowships and have arranged their finances accordingly. More shocking is the fact that no deadline has been set on the submission of the report of this committee,” he complained.

However, UGC Chairperson Sukhdeo Thorat has asserted that the fellowships that have been awarded in the current year will continue. “The UGC fellowships continue. For the fellowships in the new year that begins from July 2008, the guidelines laid down by the Bhattacharya Committee will be followed,” he added. JNUSU had been demanding an early cut-off for the UGC fellowships from July 2005 in the University and an early and smooth disbursal of all fellowships.

The Union has also been demanding re-prioritising of UGC funds to meet the basic needs of the student community like fellowships and scholarships rather than spending them on “uncalled for renovation and beautification drives” . “Since this fellowship is based on the premise that every research scholar in a Central university, not availing of any other scholarship, is eligible for this financial assistance, JNUSU fails to understand the reason for stalling disbursal of the scholarships on mere technical grounds of finalising guidelines,” said Sandeep.

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