Pune: BARTI Faces Protest Threat from Research Scholars Over Fellowship Delay
Pune, 21st April 2025: The Research Scholars’ Action Committee has issued a stern warning to the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) regarding the continued delay in announcing the 2023–24 cycle of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar National Research Fellowship (BANRF). The students are frustrated and have demanded immediate action. If BARTI fails to release the notification, the committee has threatened an indefinite hunger strike starting April 28 outside BARTI’s premises.
Despite multiple written appeals and in-person meetings, BARTI has yet to take action, prompting the committee to accuse the institute of straying from the principles of social justice.
The BANRF fellowship, active since 2013, supports Ph.D. scholars from the Scheduled Castes. The delay in announcing the current cycle has caused unrest among aspirants. As a last resort, the scholars have reached out to both the Social Justice Minister and BARTI’s Director General, giving them an eight-day ultimatum to resolve the matter or face protests.
