The Maharashtra government has announced a 100% fellowship for Ph.D. students from OBC, NT, VJ, and SBC categories, marking a significant victory for the student community.
The decision, which comes after weeks of protests, ensures that eligible students at the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute (Mahajyoti) will now receive full financial support, similar to what their counterparts at the Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) have been receiving.
Protesting students at Mahajyoti had been demanding equal treatment, pushing for a uniform fellowship policy across institutions. Their primary demand was for the government to extend the same 100% fellowship that BARTI students had been granted. In 2022, Mahajyoti invited applications for fellowships, identifying 869 eligible students. However, despite over a year passing, these students had not received the promised full fellowship, leading to frustration.
The announcement of full fellowship is a relief to the students, who had been protesting outside the Mahajyoti headquarters in Nagpur. The protests were fueled by the precedent set at BARTI, where 763 Ph.D. students were previously granted 100% fellowship after their own demonstration. The government had initially capped fellowships at 200 students per institution, but BARTI’s students fought for comprehensive coverage, which was eventually recognized.
With the Maharashtra government’s latest decision, students have called off their protests, expressing satisfaction with the resolution. The move is expected to create a uniform policy for all eligible institutions, ensuring that no student is left behind. This development signifies a step forward in addressing the concerns of marginalized student communities, and it sets a standard for future fellowship programs in the state.