Pupils protest fellowship pay delay

MUMBAI: Research students of Mumbai University (MU) who are eligible for the Non-National Eligibility Test (NET) fellowship, protested at Kalina campus to press charges against non-payment since September 2017. The fellowship is meant for MPhil and PhD students.

The accounts department has asked the students to fill the form of only three months instead of providing the entire fellowship amount. Students were seen shouting slogans outside the vice-chancellor's office Thursday afternoon.

“It has been more than two years and we have not got a single penny. Meanwhile, the salaries of the staff and the administration are being credited every month, without fail. But when it comes to our fellowship amount, 'they don't have any money'. Our entire life is at stake without money and that includes our family and education (research work),” said a student who was protesting at the Ka-lina campus since Thu-rsday morning to evening.

Students even met the officials at the university to ask about their fellowship amount. “When we asked them about the money, they told us that the amount for four months will be paid in some days and that the remaining is unsure. What does that mean? Are we begging for the money that we will be paid only for four months? We will keep protesting until all our dues are paid,” said another student. MPhil students are obliged to get `5,000 per month while the PhD students should get `8,000 per month.

The officials at the varsity have told the students that all the remaining dues will be paid in ‘installments’.

A source close to the MU revealed that the accounts department had received money from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for clearing all the dues of the non-NET fellowship students.

However, since the pending dues were of more than two years, they would take some time to clear them.