With hundreds of student-researchers in several institutions across the country picketing for a hike in fellowships, two senior officials said that a decision should be out by the first week of February and the hikes could range from 25-50%.

On January 16 about 2,000 students and researchers, including from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the labs of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and several universities converged for a protest in Delhi. About 700 of them were briefly detained by the Delhi Police, as The Hindu has previously reported.

The students are gunning for at least an 80% hike in the research stipends given to those pursuing their doctoral degrees.

These are legitimate demands and the matter is being deliberated in the finance ministry. Hopefully, it should be announced in a day or two, said Shekhar Mande, Director-General, CSIR. The CSIR and the University Grants Commission have the largest outlay towards disbursing fellowships.

Another scientist, who was privy to the proceedings of the meeting, said the hike was likely to be announced before the Budget/Vote-on-Account (Feb 1).and that it would be above the norm. It could be from 25-50% but not an 80-100% hike as demands were being made. Currently, finance advisors of various ministries are examining the required budgetary increases, the scientist said.

Typically these stipends are significantly revised once in four years — the last being in 2014 — and a committee of scientists had recommended an increase after a meeting last December.

Paltry sum

Inspite of being a leading scientific power in terms of research publications, India spends about 0.7% of its GDP on research and development, which is much lower than countries of comparable scientific prowess.

The civilian science ministries were alloted ₹12,322 crore in February 2018, a hike of approximately 10% from the last year.