University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a notification extending the deadline for claiming pending dues for post-doctoral/doctoral fellowships. The university body has rescheduled the deadline to January 8, 2024 after it had received several representations from stakeholders to extend the deadline for claiming the pending dues.
The circular issued by UGC reads, "Stakeholders (HEIs and fellows are requested to claim their pending clues, i.e., fellowship/house rent allowance/contingency, by January 8, 2025 on the Scholarship Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP). No exception request with respect to the scholars registered/joined as JRF on or before 31.12.2018 will be entertained after 31 December 2024. The provision to apply for an exception request on the Scholarship Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP) for such scholars shall be removed on 01.01.2025."
The UGC had earlier extended the last date for claiming pending dues upto October 8, 2024 in July.
The university body had also increased the amount of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) and Post Doctoral Fellowship. The revised fellowships were applicable from January 1, 2023.
The objective of the fellowship scheme is to provide an opportunity to SC/ST candidates to undertake postdoctoral research in Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences at Indian universities/institutions/colleges.
As per the notification by UGC, "The candidate must have a doctorate degree in the relevant subject preferably with published research work to their credit. The upper age limit for male applicants is 50 years as on 1st July of the year of application, and 55 years in the case of female candidates. In exceptional cases, the age may be relaxed."