Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) submitted a memorandum to the Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) on February 9, 2024, demanding solutions to problems related to JRF fellowships. ABVP demands an increase in the fellowship amount, timely disbursement, extension of the fellowship duration to three years with financial assistance, and the provision of a house rent allowance (HRA) alongside the fellowship.
It is to be noted that the current Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) amount offered by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) stands at Rs 17,600 per month. This amount falls significantly short when compared to the Rs 37,000 scholarship provided under UGC-JRF. Additionally, the ICHR JRF programme spans only two years, with fellowship disbursements occurring at six-month intervals. These disparities have posed considerable challenges for researchers, exacerbating the problems they face.
ABVP National General Secretary, Yagywalkya Shukla, stated, “Immediate action should be taken to address the challenges faced by research students receiving fellowships from the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). ABVP demands that effective measures be taken at various levels to ensure quality research opportunities for scholars. ICHR should effectively implement necessary reforms aligned with the current needs of researchers.”
