GUWAHATI: Research scholars of IIT Guwahati organized a protest rally in the campus on Thursday to support the ongoing countrywide stir demanding fellowship hike for all research scholars in the country.The central government had earlier stated that the fellowship for researchers will be increased periodically every four years and as per assurance, it was supposed to be increased on April 2018. Protesting research scholars, however, rued that eight months have passed.Researchers in various parts of the country have been protesting over this for months. In an earlier meeting held on November 20 with principal scientific adviser to the government of India, K Vijay Raghavan, a petition was submitted for an prompt revision and timely disbursal for scholarships. On Wednesday, researchers from all parts of the nation came to the Union ministry of human resource development office in New Delhi to stage a silent protest. The situation turned tense when protesters clashed with police.“Research is the foundation of growth in a developing country. The involvement of police in the silent protest on January 16 in New Delhi is a black day for the entire country. It is a shocking and shameful act by the government,” said a joint statement issued by IIT-Guwahati research scholars. Protesters demanded that the fellowships be increased by 80% and that they be hiked with a proper revision every four years.

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