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The Wire
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Silencing the Academy: From Trump's Harvard Offensive to Modi's War on Free Thought
'Every relationship of hegemony is necessarily an educational relationship.' — Antonio Gramsci In both, the United States and India, universities – once bastions of critical inquiry – are increasingly being reimagined as threats to national integrity. In May 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping crackdown on Harvard University, threatening to revoke over USD 2 billion in federal research funding over allegations of antisemitism and political bias. While framed as a culture war manoeuvre, this move serves as political discipline – punishing elite institutions for tolerating student dissent and pro-Palestinian activism. In India, the Narendra Modi government has been charting a parallel course. Since 2014, public universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University have faced repeated assaults – from budget cuts and bureaucratic interference to arrests of student activists and the slashing of scholarships. Notably, in 2022, the government quietly scrapped the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, a crucial program supporting minority scholars pursuing PhD degrees. The message was unambiguous: support for marginalised voices in higher education is no longer a priority. What binds these seemingly disparate actions is a growing consensus among right-wing regimes: dissent within the classroom is a political liability. Students who critique the state, question foreign policy or demand historical justice are increasingly treated not as engaged citizens but as internal adversaries. In both countries, this assault on universities is being waged under the banner of the taxpayer. Trump's administration argues that public funds should not support 'radical leftism' or 'wokeness.' Similarly, Modi's government accuses public universities of squandering resources on 'anti-national' thought and fostering a liberal elite disconnected from 'real' India. This rhetoric constructs a false moral economy: critical thinking is recast as indulgence, the humanities as sedition and student protest as criminality. By claiming to represent the apolitical, hardworking taxpayer, these regimes obscure the essential role of universities in a democracy – to question, to debate, and to envision alternatives. The campaign is not about accountability; it is about control. The university curriculum has become a central front in this ideological war. In the US, efforts to defund universities are part of a broader culture war targeting critical race theory, gender studies, and climate science. In India, the New Education Policy promotes a sanitised, mythological version of Indian history, marginalising critiques of caste and erasing Muslim contributions to the subcontinent's past. A recent and telling example is the recommendation by Delhi University's standing committee for academic affairs to remove Karl Marx and Thomas Malthus from the sociology syllabus. The paper 'Population and Society,' which introduces students to foundational theories of population dynamics, currently examines Malthusian perspectives and Marx's critiques. According to faculty members, Malthus's theory remains essential for understanding population growth, and Marx's critiques provide critical context. The proposed removal of these thinkers reflects an ongoing effort to reshape academic discourse to align with a particular ideological narrative. Such curricular changes are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic attempt to transform universities from spaces of open-ended inquiry into sites of nationalist education. The goal is not to produce informed citizens but compliant subjects. The suppression of dissent within academia cannot be disentangled from broader racial and religious hierarchies. In the US, campus activism around Palestine has become a flashpoint. The Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement, targeting scholars and students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. Notably, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, was detained and faced deportation under a rarely-used provision allowing the Secretary of State to expel individuals deemed adverse to US foreign policy. A federal judge later ruled this action likely unconstitutional, highlighting concerns over free speech violations. Similarly, Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University scholar, recounted his harrowing experience of being detained without due process, allegedly for social media posts critical of Israel's actions in Gaza. These cases underscore a disturbing trend where academic critique and political activism are met with punitive measures, eroding the foundational principles of free expression and academic freedom. In India, the situation is more acute: Muslim scholars like Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Dr. Hany Babu have been jailed under sweeping anti-terror laws for exercising their constitutional rights. For Muslim academics, intellectual life is now entangled with existential precarity. They are compelled to demonstrate loyalty to the nation before being permitted to contribute to its scholarly discourse. This systemic repression is not merely about individuals – it aims to silence a worldview that sees power as accountable, citizenship as plural and justice as an ongoing pursuit. Despite these challenges, universities remain potential sites of resistance. Across campuses, students and faculty continue to challenge authoritarian drift. From Harvard's Palestine Solidarity encampments to Jamia's anti-CAA protests, the university persists as one of the few spaces where democratic dissent endures. However, this space is shrinking. Funding is being slashed, fellowships are disappearing, international scholars face deportation and the cost of posing critical questions is escalating. If we allow universities to become echo chambers for state power, we risk losing more than academic freedom. We jeopardise the very notion that public life should be governed by reasoned debate rather than fear. The global assault on universities – from Trump's offensive against Harvard to Modi's dismantling of minority fellowships and curricular purges – is not coincidental. It reflects a political moment wherein the capacity for critical thought is perceived as a threat to national coherence. In place of knowledge, these regimes offer nostalgia; in place of critique, conformity. To defend the university today is to defend the possibility of a freer, more just society tomorrow. This defence must emanate not only from within the academy but from all who value democracy beyond a mere slogan. It must involve public intellectuals, journalists, educators, students, and civil society at large. Because once critical thinking itself is criminalised, we find ourselves already inhabiting a post-democratic world. Ismail Salahuddin is a writer and researcher based in Delhi, focusing on Muslim identity, caste and the politics of knowledge. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
The Wire
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Delay in Disbursement of Stipend Under Maulana Azad Fellowship Leaves Minority Students in Distress
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Top Stories Delay in Disbursement of Stipend Under Maulana Azad Fellowship Leaves Minority Students in Distress Ankit Raj 20 minutes ago Numerous researchers from minority communities pursuing their PhDs under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship have not received their stipends since December 2024. Union minister of minority affairs Kiren Rijiju. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now New Delhi: PhD researchers who are beneficiaries of the Maulana Azad National Fellowship are once again experiencing delays in the disbursement of their stipends. The majority of these researchers have not received their stipends from December 2024 up to the present date in May 2025. In fact, some researchers have not received their stipends even prior to this period. The Maulana Azad National Fellowship, administered by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, offers financial assistance to researchers belonging to six notified minority communities in India: Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and Parsi. However, the delays in disbursement have caused not only financial hardships but also psychological stress for the researchers dependent on this scholarship. A number of students are managing to get by through borrowing funds. Research endeavours have come to a standstill. There are no funds left for purchasing books and conducting fieldwork. Due to the government's silence, the researchers feel that this fellowship is being intentionally halted. Several researchers have reported that ministry officials have advised them to abandon this fellowship and seek alternative schemes. In light of this situation, three Members of Parliament (Zia ur Rahman from Sambhal, Mohammad Javed from Kishanganj, and T. Sumati from Chennai South) have written a letter addressed to the Union minister of minority affairs, Kiren Rijiju, requesting prompt attention to the matter. The initial two years of this five-year scholarship are referred to as JRF (Junior Research Fellowship), during which a monthly stipend of Rs 37,000 is provided. The subsequent three years are designated as SRF (Senior Research Fellowship), offering a monthly amount of Rs 42,000. As of December 2023, a total of 1,466 researchers were benefiting from this fellowship. Among them, 907 were recipients of the JRF, while 559 were recipients of the SRF. The government terminated this fellowship during the 2022-23 period. In the budget for 2025-26, the central government decreased the funding for this fellowship by 4.9%, reducing it from Rs 45.08 crore to Rs 42.84 crore. The plight of researchers The Wire spoke to researchers from various universities across the country. Kalu Tamang, a researcher in the Hindi department at Presidency University in Kolkata, said, 'I have been facing challenges for approximately six months. The financial burden is making it increasingly difficult to conduct my research.' Tamang, a Buddhist student, was awarded this fellowship in 2021. He has urged Rijiju to expedite the release of the fellowship as soon as possible. 'I am currently in the fourth year of my PhD program, and the fellowship stipends have stopped. This financial strain has adversely impacted my mental health. I am struggling to pay my rent and have had to borrow money from friends, continually promising to repay them as soon as possible,' said another PhD researcher at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi. This researcher hails from the North East and is a member of the Buddhist community. Razia Khatoon, currently pursuing her PhD in the Department of Physiology at Calcutta University, stated that despite ongoing appeals, there has been no response from the officials. 'Numerous researchers are persistently facing financial difficulties. My health has declined due to the continuous stress,' said Khatoon. Salima Sultan, who is pursuing PhD from Manipur University, has also not received fellowship stipend since December 2024. 'Maulana Azad National Fellowship is the only hope for researchers from minority community,' said Sultan. 'The stipend from the fellowship allows us to meet the expenses of our research. Our academic life is getting badly affected. Fellowship is the right of the students. We demand from the government to run this fellowship smoothly like other fellowships,' she added. Researchers said that there was delay in obtaining stipends earlier too. But, in the past, the reasons for such delays were communicated. This time, no explanation is being provided. As a result of this uncertainty, students are experiencing increased stress. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has not given any clarification regarding the release of pending fellowship amounts. A team of researchers visited the Ministry of Minority Affairs on May 15 to request the disbursement of fellowship amounts. A researcher from Jamia stated that the officials declined to meet them. A research scholar affiliated with Aligarh Muslim University sought information via the Right to Information (RTI) Act regarding the release date of the fellowship stipend. However, the ministry provided a vague response. In the RTI reply, the ministry has not specified when the scholarship will be awarded. Who is eligible for this fellowship? The Maulana Azad National Fellowship is awarded to PhD researchers belonging to minority communities enrolled in Indian universities. To qualify, it is essential to have successfully completed the National Eligibility Test (NET). This fellowship is granted to researchers whose family's annual income is less than Rs 6 lakh. Maulana Azad National Fellowship comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. As of October 2022, the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) serves as its nodal agency. This organisation manages outstanding payments and administrative issues. Previously, these responsibilities were held by the UGC (University Grants Commission). Researchers contend that the fellowship operated more efficiently under the UGC. 'The good thing about UGC was that it used to offer reasons for delay in disbursing the fellowship, and would share details. But NMDFC has failed to offer any such assistance,' stated a researcher from Jamia Millia Islamia. What do NMDFC and the ministry say? The Wire reached out to Nixon Mathur, the deputy general manager (planning) and Company Secretary of NMDFC, to inquire about the delay in the scholarship disbursement. 'Our responsibility is to allocate the funds. However, we have not yet received the funds from the ministry. The issue is still under review. Once the funds are received, the researchers will be awarded the fellowship,' said Mathur. Mathur further mentioned that the last funding from the ministry was received in October-November 2024. The Wire reached out to Joint Secretary (Education) Ram Singh to inquire about the reasons behind the ministry's delay in releasing funds. Singh, who is employed in the Ministry of Minority Affairs, oversees the pre-matric scholarship, post-matric scholarship schemes, Padho Pradesh, and the Maulana Azad National Fellowship. He has not yet responded. A discontinued scheme: Maulana Azad National Fellowship Maulana Azad National Fellowship was started by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in the year 2009. Its main objective was to encourage minority students to pursue higher education and reduce the financial barriers in their path. But in December 2022, the Government of India discontinued this fellowship. In response to a question in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Minority Affairs had clearly said, 'Since the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme matches many other fellowship schemes for higher education, the government has decided to discontinue it from 2022-23.' However, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had assured that 'students who are already getting this fellowship will continue to get it for their stipulated period.' NMDFC, the nodal agency of Maulana Azad National Fellowship, had also mentioned this in its notice. Translated from the Hindi original, published on The Wire Hindi, by Naushin Rehman. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. 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Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Minority scholars at sea over research fellowship funding
New Delhi: The Centre has said that the proposal of disbursing pending fellowships under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) is "under active consideration", a development that has left hundreds of minority research scholars confused and anxious. The ministry of minority affairs recently responded to TOI's query on the matter saying: "At present, the proposal for approval of committed liabilities under this scheme, beyond 2021-22, is under active consideration of the govt." The statement comes amid mounting concerns and contradictions. Scholars have been receiving fellowship amounts post-discontinuation of the scheme in 2022, albeit with long delays, and the Union Budget for 2025-26 has even allocated Rs 42.84 crore to the scheme. "The Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme was approved for implementation till 2021-22. Thereafter, the scheme is to be implemented for settlement of committed liabilities w.r.t. (with respect to) existing beneficiaries," the ministry added. MANF, launched in 2009 to support MPhil and PhD students from six notified minority communities, was discontinued in Dec 2022. At the time, govt had cited an overlap with existing fellowships like UGC-JRF and CSIR as the reason but had assured that existing fellows would continue receiving support until the end of their tenures. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo The assurance was reiterated by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a parliamentary session and echoed in replies submitted to the Lok Sabha. Yet, the ministry's recent framing of the disbursal as a "proposal under consideration" has made scholars unsure about its continuity. Since Oct 2022, the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) has been the nodal agency for disbursing the funds. However, after the scheme's implementation shifted from UGC to NMDFC, fellowships have been marked by long and recurring gaps, students have alleged. According to some scholars, the disbursement had been regular until Feb 2022. What followed were extended gaps — seven to eight months between Feb and Aug 2022; five months between Sept 2022 and Jan 2023; four months from Jan to April 2023; another four months between May and Aug 2023; five months between Oct 2023 and Feb 2024; and currently, a six-month delay from Dec 2024 to May 2025 — according to some scholars. These lapses, students say, have not only caused emotional distress but also forced many to pause or even reconsider their research pursuits. Ironically, in response to a 2023 query about why the fellowship was not being disbursed monthly, the ministry said that "under the MANF scheme, the funds are disbursed to the beneficiaries on a monthly basis." As of May 2025, several MANF scholars have allegedly not received their stipends since Jan, while others have been waiting since Sept or Oct 2024. With no clear communication and the ministry now calling the disbursal itself a "proposal," scholars say they are worried. "Today, I lost my beloved cousin, but I couldn't attend his funeral because I couldn't afford the flight due to the delayed fellowship. It has been 5 to 6 months, and many of us are struggling with severe financial crises," said a Kashmiri Muslim PhD scholar from Jamia Millia Islamia, requesting anonymity. "Some of us have support from our families, but many scholars have no such support, especially those who are married and the sole providers for their families. The second Eid is approaching, yet many of us are helpless, burdened with unfulfilled expectations from our families. Instead of focusing on our research, we are forced to fight daily — making calls and sending unanswered emails to the ministry." The fellowship was designed to offer financial aid to scholars from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, helping them pursue higher education without being burdened by financial hardship. Eligibility required that students belong to a notified minority community, have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET), be enrolled in MPhil or PhD programmes, and have a family income below the threshold (typically Rs 6 lakh annually). Around 1,500–2,000 students are estimated to be beneficiaries. With research stalled and basic living expenses unmanageable, many scholars say they are on the verge of quitting. "Just recently, a fellow scholar was desperate to pay his family member's hospital bills," another scholar said. "I am not saying that the entire responsibility lies with the ministry, but they cannot deny their role in our suffering. If we knew this would be our reality, we wouldn't have left our families from Kerala to Delhi or Kashmir to Aligarh only to feel helpless in our hardest times. " Beyond the delays, another major point of contention has been the house rent allowance (HRA). While UGC has revised the HRA structure for its JRF and SRF fellows effective from Jan 1, 2024, this has not been implemented for MANF fellows, even though the scheme's guidelines state that fellowship rates should be on a par with the UGC, students said. Scholars argue that these discrepancies are not just technical but reveal larger neglect. "We are not just students. We are researchers dedicated to contributing to the academic and scientific progress of our nation. But our morale is breaking down due to this extended period of financial uncertainty," said a fellow from a central university, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The scholars have demanded immediate release of dues, implementation of the revised HRA, and regular monthly disbursements.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Scholarship for researchers from minority background face four-month delay
i As the disbursement of Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) for research scholars from minority communities has faced delay for four months yet again, the students have urged the Union Government to expedite the process of distributing the scholarships to them. The Minority Affairs Ministry, that handles the scholarships, meanwhile, has told the students in an RTI reply that the Ministry is in the process of getting three scholarship schemes approved from the Union Government for implementation from 2022-23 onwards. The Ministry asked the students to 'wait and appreciate the constraints' of the Ministry in disbursement of scholarship, fellowship, and interest subsidies. The scholarship division of the Ministry is implementing this scheme, which faced delays on several occasions in the last few years. The Ministry said in the RTI response that National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) has released the pending fellowship amount to respective MANF fellows till December, 2024. 'Further, NMDFC is in the process to receive funds under the MANF scheme from Government for releasing fellowships to existing MANF fellows,' the Ministry said. On the demand to revise the House Rent Allowance rates for MANF scheme, the Ministry said the proposal is under consideration of the Union Government. As per the provisions of MANF Scheme, the HRA is to be revised from time to time. The Ministry added that it is in the process of getting the three scholarship schemes, MANF and Padho Pardesh Schemes for minorities approved for implementation from 2022-23 onwards. 'Please wait and appreciate the constraints of this Ministry in disbursement of scholarship, fellowship and interest subsidies and read the Guidelines,' the Ministry told students. Saurabh Anand, who follows Buddhism, is a fourth year PhD scholar at the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala. He told The Hindu that he hasn't received MANF fellowship since January. 'The survival has become extremely difficult. I have borrowed money from many people, but now no one is willing to help. My mother is a mental health patient and needs proper treatment. I also need funds to participate in research workshop as well as in purchasing essential softwares for data analysis. Without financial support, it's difficult to carry forward my research and manage basic living. I sincerely hope the government responds to our situation soon,' he said. A woman scholar from Srinagar, on the condition of anonymity, said because of the delay in receiving fellowship, she is unable to pay room rent. 'I am not in a position to attend conferences. I am facing emotional and psychological strain. Delay has affected my research capability also as I can not concentrate on studies,' she said. Shanif M.K., a scholar from Kozhikkode, said MANF has faced frequent delays in recent years. 'This time, I am struggling to arrange the funds needed for my thesis submission. My fellowship period ended on 23, February 2025. But I have not yet received the stipend for January and February. Now, I am on the verge of submitting my thesis, but I lack the money to cover the submission fee, printing costs, rent, and university fees. As a result, I am stuck in a difficult situation. Additionally, I am actively seeking a job for the next academic year and attending interviews. However, since I haven't submitted my thesis yet, I am unable to benefit from the 'thesis submitted' status, which is affecting my job prospects,' he said.
