A large number of research students pursuing PhD across the country are miffed with the University Grants Commission (UGC) over the delay in inviting applications for the Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowship For Single Girl Child for the 2023-24 academic year.
The objectives of the fellowship are to “recognise the value of observance of small family norm” and the “norm of single girl child in society”, “to propagate the concept of single girl child norm”, and to “promote single girls in the society”. Any single girl child of her parents pursuing PhD in any stream/subject in recognised universities/colleges/ institutes is eligible to apply under the scheme.
T. Jithu of Malappuram in Kerala, whose daughter is doing research at Pondicherry University, told The Hindu that there had been no response from the UGC or the Union Ministry of Education to the queries being raised. In a recent memorandum to M. Jagadesh Kumar, chairperson, UGC, functionaries of the All-India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA) said that their efforts to contact the section dealing with the fellowship had not yielded results. They pointed out that the research scholars were concerned over the uncertainty. V.K. Sreekandan, Congress MP for Palakkad in Kerala, too has sent a letter to Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education, flagging the students anxieties.
