PhD students across India have launched a campaign demanding the release of the pending Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) funds. They are urging the government to clear outstanding payments, ensure timely monthly disbursements, and revise the House Rent Allowance (HRA) to match that offered under the UGC-JRF fellowship.
MANF was introduced in 2009 to support meritorious students from six minority communities—Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis—in pursuing PhD research. Under the scheme, Junior Research Fellows (JRF) received Rs 31,000 per month and Senior Research Fellows (SRF) Rs 35,000 per month.
1,000 students were awarded fellowships annually to pursue an M.Phil and PhD before it was discontinued in 2022 by the Indian government, citing financial burden and an overlap with various other central schemes.
However, it was clarified that students who are already getting this fellowship will continue to get it for their stipulated period.
MANF Scholars India, a collective of recipients of the fellowship, is meeting lawmakers and stakeholders to intervene in the matter. MPs like Zia ur Rahman from Sambhal, Mohammad Javed from Kishanganj, and T. Sumati from Chennai South have written a letter addressed to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, requesting prompt attention to the matter.
Several others have endorsed the demands by the PhD scholars.
Since 2022, the disbursement of funds has become irregular. There was an eight-month delay in 2022 and a six-month delay in 2023. Between December 2024 and June 2025, students have not received any fellowship funds at all. Additionally, the government reduced the MANF budget from ₹45.08 crore to ₹42.84 crore.
The responsibility for fund disbursement was also shifted from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC), leading to further confusion and delays. An estimated 800 to 1,500 scholars have been affected.
“We have sent numerous letters, emails, and delegations to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), and even to Mr. Kiren Rijiju’s residence, but have received no response. Ministry officials often behave rudely—both over the phone and in person. They offer no updates on the disbursements and sometimes make discriminatory remarks. Some staff members have even threatened us with consequences. These experiences are deeply disappointing and alarming,” Fazle Wakil, one of the campaign organisers, told Maktoob.
“The response from fellow scholars has not been as strong as we had hoped. Many have dropped out of their PhDs, and others are afraid of backlash from the government. Although a few MPs and politicians have expressed support, they have yet to take meaningful action,” the PhD scholar from Jadavpur University added.
The students have outlined several key demands: the immediate release of all pending fellowship payments since December 2024; regular and timely monthly disbursements; HRA revision in accordance with UGC standards; respectful and transparent communication from the ministry; and an end to discriminatory or threatening behaviour by officials. They hope the issue will be addressed during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has claimed that the delay is due to an ongoing “evaluation” of the scheme. However, students argue that this explanation is inadequate.
The ongoing delays have severely impacted not only the scholars’ financial stability but also their mental health and academic progress. Many are struggling to continue their research, manage fieldwork, and meet basic living expenses. Some have already been forced to abandon their PhD programs. The continued lack of accountability is putting their academic futures at serious risk.
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued provisional scholarship letters to 40 out of 106 selected candidates for the 2025-’26 National Overseas Scholarship, saying that the remaining 66 will receive theirs “subject to availability of funds”. The National Overseas Scholarship supports students from Scheduled Castes, Denotified Nomadic Tribes, semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers and traditional artisan communities.
Hanna PP is a post-graduate student in M A Mass Communication at Pondicherry University.
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