Date:
December 9, 2015
Meanwhile, in October the University Grants Commission announced their decision to scrap non-NET fellowships, which would leave many students unable to pursue their research, as they are dependent on the funding of the UGC. This sparked off the occupy UGC movement which has been ongoing from October 2015. Protesting students were lathi-charged twice, badly beaten by the Delhi police, abused, intimidated and threatened with dire consequences. Women protesters were targeted and beaten by male police officers.
Meanwhile, the UGC, a body answerable to the academic community remains conspicuously silent. The reason for student solidarity stems from the government’s promoting privatization at every level to serve the interests of corporations. Savage cuts in public funding of education, reflected in the Rs. 13,000 crore cut in the education budget this year, is a crucial part of this strategy. The decision to scrap the non-NET fellowship is part of this policy and on 7th October 2015 the Committee set up to enhance the fellowship decided to discontinue it! Since this decision was made public, students have gathered in front of the UGC offices all over the country.
Their demands are a) Restore, Increase and Expand Non-Net Fellowship to state universities also - no merit/criteria based exclusion; b) India withdraw from WTO-GATS negotiation; c) Stop fund cut in education- allocate 10% of budget on education.
On December 9, 2015 there is an all-India march held by the occupy UGC protestors.
Meanwhile, the UGC, a body answerable to the academic community remains conspicuously silent. The reason for student solidarity stems from the government’s promoting privatization at every level to serve the interests of corporations. Savage cuts in public funding of education, reflected in the Rs. 13,000 crore cut in the education budget this year, is a crucial part of this strategy. The decision to scrap the non-NET fellowship is part of this policy and on 7th October 2015 the Committee set up to enhance the fellowship decided to discontinue it! Since this decision was made public, students have gathered in front of the UGC offices all over the country.
Their demands are a) Restore, Increase and Expand Non-Net Fellowship to state universities also - no merit/criteria based exclusion; b) India withdraw from WTO-GATS negotiation; c) Stop fund cut in education- allocate 10% of budget on education.
On December 9, 2015 there is an all-India march held by the occupy UGC protestors.