HRD Ministry Appoints Review Committee to Look into Non-NET and NET

Fellowships

Review Committee will submit report by year-end

All existing fellowships to continue

As a part of the overall process of bringing about change in the higher- educati
on sector, and improving access, quality, impact and equity in the Universities, t
he Ministry of Human Resource Development is in the process of reviewing the
current research framework, efforts, opportunities, quality and output. A key i
mperative is the need to encourage and expand quality research in diverse field
s.

For over two decades, the All India National Eligibility Test (NET), a competitive
examination conducted twice a year by the University Grants Commission (UGC
) has been the basis for the Research Fellowships, currently almost nine thousa
nd that enable students to pursue M.Phil and Ph.D programmes.

The Non-NET Fellowship Scheme was introduced by the UGC in 2006. It is prese
ntly limited only to fifty institutions including Central Universities and those wit
h Potential for Excellence. Almost thirty five thousand students are presently av
ailing of these Fellowships.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has from December 2014, enha
nced the support provided to Research Fellowships based on the NET. Junior Re
search Fellows will receive, for the first two years Rs. 25,000/- per month and 3
0% House Rent Allowance (HRA) as well as a contingency grant for each year. S
enior Research Fellows will receive, for the next three years Rs. 28,000/- per m
onth, 30% HRA and a contingency grant for each year.

The Government has decided to establish a Review Committee to go into the is

sues related to the research fellowships provided by the UGC, covering both NE
T and Non-NET fellowships. The Review Committee will submit its report to the
Ministry within December 2015.
Amongst the issues entrusted to the Committee are a) the feasibility of enhanci
ng the number of NET fellowships, which are merit based, b) establishing a tran
sparent system of transfer of fellowship amounts each month to the Non-NET f
ellows, which is presently being done on a reimbursement basis, and without th
e Direct Benefit Transfer mandated by the Government, c) bringing the benefits
and opportunities of the Non-NET fellowship scheme to a larger number of Uni
versities, including State Universities, d) considering economic and other criteri
a for eligibility for non-NET fellowships, e) recommending guidelines for the sel
ection, coverage, award, and administration of the non-NET fellowships.

Irrespective of the recommendations of the Review Committee, all existing and

continuing fellowships, NET as well as Non-NET would be continued; there will
be no change retrospectively.

GG/DS/VL/MTH