IIT-B students write to MHRD, seek hike in stipend

File pic

More than 5,000 research candidates of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) have joined a nation-wide movement demanding a hike in their fellowship amount. They have sent a draft proposal seeking 80 per cent hike in the stipend to the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD), which issues the grants for the fellowships. The students have planned to stage a silent protest if there is no response from the ministry before December 20.

The candidates who are a part of the protest include M.Tech, M.Phil, PhD, junior and senior research fellows and research associates. According to them, their stipends were revised last in 2014 with an assurance that it would undergo revision every year. Though their expenses have increased over the years, there has been no review of the fellowships.

A student said, "Many of us are married, but we don't get accommodation facilities on the campus. We have to spend a lot to stay outside. At least the government should help us in staying comfortably." Adding to this, another student said, "When I joined IITB in 2013, the fee per semester was Rs 15,000. This has increased to Rs 27,000, but our stipend is still the same. How are we supposed to meet the increasing expenses with our fellowships remaining the same?" Apart from the draft proposal, they have also sent a letter to the Prime Minister's Office.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates