Non-NET fellows have no money for daily expenses

Mumbai:The Mumbai University (MU) research students who are eligible for the non-National Eligibil-ity Test (NET) fellows-hip meant for M.Phil. and Ph.D. students haven’t received their fellowship (`5,000 and `8,000 per month, respectively) since September 2017.

While the accounts department of the varsity is taking no responsibility and blames the University Grants Commission (UGC) instead, research students are struggling to pay their course fees, house rent, electricity bills and other daily expenses.

“I live as a paying guest in Goregoan, it is becoming difficult to manage  rent while covering the rest of the expenses. Adding to this, as per the rule, we (research students) are supposed to come every day to the department (i.e. located at the Kalina campus of the MU) to sign. If we miss even a single day, they will cut a specific amount from our fellowship,” said a student, who did not wish to be named.

Further, the university has asked the students to sign an affidavit, which prohibits them from taking up any job. “Even if I wish to take up work as a professor in order to survive, I cannot. I was made to sign the affidavit which forbids us (students) from taking up any kind of jobs, outside,” said another student.

A third student told this newspaper, “We are supposed to buy textbooks and other research materials on our own and we need money for that. It has been close to a year since I started my M.Phil and I haven’t got any money. Moreover, now they have even increased the fees of our academic year.”

Furthermore, students are finding it difficult to manage the research-related expenses like buying books or working on projects as everything needs money. An official from the accounts department revealed that they had not been getting any funds from the UGC. “Funds for the non-NET fellowship are sent to us by the UGC but since they have not, we cannot proceed with any money transaction,” said the official.