The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), Maharashtra South Zone, has heartily welcomed Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s directive to publish advertisements for PhD fellowships within ten days.
Support for Protesting PhD Scholars
SIO had earlier expressed solidarity with PhD students across Maharashtra who have been protesting against unpaid fellowships delayed for over two years. More than a thousand research scholars engaged in agricultural and social research at institutes such as the Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI), Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI), Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute (MAHAJYOTI), and the Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI) have reportedly not received financial assistance since 2022.
SIO Hails Step to Resolve Two-Year Delay
According to SIO, Shinde’s directive addresses the long-pending two-and-a-half-year delay and represents a significant step toward supporting research scholars in the state.
Call for Stronger Research Ecosystem
While applauding the government’s focus on critical research areas such as climate change, pollution control, and organic farming, SIO reiterated its demands for a healthy research ecosystem.
“The government must immediately implement a mechanism for the monthly and timely disbursal of stipends to ease financial stress on scholars. We also demand the streamlining of bureaucratic processes and the provision of quality research infrastructure to enhance the overall standard and impact of student research across Maharashtra,” said Uzair Ahmad, State Secretary, SIO Maharashtra South Zone.
