Research students to get aid every month through DBT

To avoid delay in payments to the beneficiaries and disburse fellowships in a transparent manner, the payment would be released through direct benefit transfer mode through bank accounts of research scholars.

The University Grants Commission has been providing financial help to researchers and students in the form of fellowships and scholarships through various schemes. “Earlier, research fellowships were disbursed on a quarterly basis. But keeping in view the financial needs of research scholars, the system of monthly payment has been introduced from this month,” a senior official from the Higher Education Department said. The new system would benefit thousands of research students. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to shift to monthly payment even for those research scholars whose monthly confirmation data could not be updated by their institutions on the portal, he said. “Institutions were instructed that beneficiaries data should be updated in their official portal regularly,” the official added.

The monthly fellowships have been released till October, he said, adding that the payments for November were under process and would be released through banks shortly. The official said efforts were also being made to further simplify the online process for timely disbursal of fellowships.

“There would be a separate online grievance cell where students and researchers could share issues, which will be solved immediately. They may also contact the official concerned through email with regard to scholarship issues,” he added.