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BENGALURU: Pacifying protesting researchers with a one-time hike in fellowship just before Diwali, the Centre had indicated that it wants to encourage science and research in the country. Just weeks after a Department of Science and Technology (DST) led inter-ministerial committee decided on the hike, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has now decided to hike fellowships for 15 more schemes under it. 

A circular from the UGC announced a uniform hike of 55% with effect from December 1, 2014. However, researchers are not happy with the date of implementation. 

"Our demand from the beginning was that hikes be implemented in retrospect from April 2014. But when the previous announcement came they said it'll be October and now, this one will be December, which is not fair," a senior research fellow from IISc said. 

Vipin Singh, a research scholar, wrote on Facebook: "MASS PROTEST IS ONLY SOLUTION.. otherwise they will keep on cheating (sic)." 

Putting things into perspective, Prof P Balaram, formerly from IISc, said researchers must also understand the functioning of multiple agencies. 

On the uniform hike of 55%, which in some cases may not be equal to what the DST had announced earlier, Pathak Sahab, another researcher, said: "Note down the effect of fellowship is from 01-December-2014...According to this trend MHRD will issue notice after 3 months then it will be applicable from March-April.. Today we got new WORD for creating difference and it termed as PARITY (sic)." 

When asked about this, Prof Vijaya Raghavan, secretary-DST, told TOI from Delhi: "The earlier announcement was for fellowships, for which DST is a nodal agency. Now, UGC has come forward and considered increasing fellowships for more schemes under it. I think people should welcome it." 

Explaining the issue, he said, "The committee which was formed then could only look into inter-ministerial matters, for which DST was the lead agency. I can assure you that the hikes announced before Diwali would be implemented with effect from October 1. Now, if UGC is extending the hikes to other schemes, the decision is made by that body," he said. 

Schemes that will see 55% hike: 

1) Emeritus Fellowship 2) PDF for women (unemployment) 3) Dr S Radhakrishnan PDF in Humanities & Social sciences, including languages 4) Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Scholarship for Research in Social science 5) JRF & SRF in science, humanities and social science 6) JRF & SRF for foreign nationals 7) RA to foreign nationals 8) PDF for SC/ST candidates 9) PG Scholarship for professional courses for SC/ST candidates 10) PG scholarship for GATE/GPAT qualified students for ME / M Tech and M Pharma et al 11) PG Indira Gandhi Scholarship for single girl child 12) PG scholarship for university rank holders 13) BSR fellowship 14) Dr D S Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship 15) BSR-faculty fellowship