Lok Sabha Question No. 5 (STARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Non-NET Fellowships
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY, SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *5 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.11.2015

## Non-NET Fellowships

## *5 . SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY: SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government has appointed a Review Committee to look into the National Eligibility Test (NET) and Non-NET Fellowships provided by the University Grants  Commission  (UGC)  to  students  in  various  Universities/  Institutions  in  the country; (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  number  of  issues  entrusted  to  the Committee and the time by which the Committee is likely to submit its report to the Government; (c) whether the Government has taken note of intensified protests by a section of research scholars against decision of University Grants Commission to discontinue Non-NET  Fellowship  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reaction  of  the Government thereto; and (d) whether the Government has urged UGC to hold in abeyance the decision to discontinue the  non-NET  fellowships and if so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the
- corrective action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to (d) : A Statement is laid on the Table  of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a)  to  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.5  FOR  ANSWER  ON  30.11.2015  ASKED  BY  SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY AND SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM, HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING NON-NET FELLOWSHIPS

(a)  &  (b):  Yes,  Madam.  The  Government  has  appointed  a  Committee  on  28 th October, 2015, under the Chairpersonship of Prof. Gautam Barua, former Director, Indian  Institute  of  Technology  (IIT),  Guwahati  to  go  into  the  issues  related  to  the research  fellowships  provided  by  the  UGC,  covering  both  National  Eligibility  Test (NET) fellowships and Non-NET fellowships. Other members of the Committee are the following: (i) Prof. Syed Bari, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Gujarat; (ii) Prof.  Kuldeep  Agnihotri,  Vice  Chancellor,  Central  University  of  Himachal  Pradesh; (iii)  Dr.  Meena  Rajiv  Chandawarkar,  Vice  Chancellor,  Karnataka  State  Women's University; and (v) Secretary, University Grants Commission as Member Convenor.

The  Terms  of  Reference  of  the  Committee  are  the  following,  namely:  a) determining the feasibility of enhancing the coverage of NET fellowships, which are merit based; b) establishing a transparent system of transfer of fellowship amounts each month  to the Non-NET  fellows, which is presently being done on a reimbursement  basis,  and  without  the  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  mandated  by  the Government; c)  bringing  the  benefits  and  opportunities  of  the  Non-NET  fellowship scheme to a large number of Universities, including State Universities; d) considering economic  and  other criteria for eligibility for Non-NET  fellowships; and  e) recommending guidelines for the selection, coverage, award, and administration of the non-NET fellowships.

Other details of the committee are available at http://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/ReviewUGCFellowships.pdf . (c)  &  (d):  Yes,  Madam.    The  Central  Government  has  directed  the  UGC  not  to implement the Commission's decision discontinuing the Non-NET fellowships and to continue all existing and continuing fellowships, NET as well as Non-NET. It has also been  decided  that  the  existing  awards  under  Non-NET  fellowships  will  not  be reduced  rather  expanded  and  that  guidelines  for  selection,  coverage,  award  and administration of Non-NET fellowships be developed to enable an enhancement in these fellowships.

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