Uncovering Stipend Discrepancies at Hisar Agri University: What Students Need to Know

The recent unrest at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) has sparked a heated debate among students regarding stipend changes. This shift primarily affects how merit stipends are distributed, which has left many feeling disappointed and unheard.

Currently, HAU admits around 30% of its MSc students through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) quota via a national entrance exam, while the remaining 70% come through HAU’s own entrance test. Both HAU and ICAR offer stipends, but there are significant differences between them. HAU provides a monthly stipend of ₹3,000 for all MSc students, with those scoring above 75% receiving ₹6,000 as a merit stipend. Recently, however, the university proposed limiting this merit stipend to just 25% of eligible students.

ICAR, on the other hand, offers a much larger range of scholarships, from ₹5,000 to ₹12,600 per month for MSc students and ₹35,000 to ₹42,000 for PhD scholars. This discrepancy has left many students feeling frustrated.

According to estimates, the revised policy could save the university about ₹2.5 crore annually, impacting nearly 140 students across MSc and PhD programs. In the current setup, PhD students receive ₹5,000 as a regular stipend, plus an additional ₹10,000 if they qualify for the merit stipend. With the new proposal, the same 25% cap would apply to PhD students as well.

Dr. Rajbir Garg, a university official, explained that earlier changes were made due to financial constraints. The merit stipend budget had ballooned from ₹75 lakh in 2017 to ₹9 crore, a huge jump without appropriate funding to support it. The stipend system was initially revamped in 2017 to encourage academic excellence, replacing a system where only one top student per department received aid.

Now, with the backlash from students, Dr. Garg mentioned that the university has rolled back the proposed changes, showing a willingness to listen and engage in dialogue about students’ concerns.

This situation is a reminder of the broader conversations happening around student finance across India. A recent survey found that nearly 60% of university students feel their financial aid is either inadequate or poorly allocated. This discontent often leads to protests and calls for policy reform, indicating a growing awareness among students about their rights and the importance of financial support in education.

In summary, the ongoing dialogue about stipend distribution at HAU reflects a significant issue: balancing financial sustainability and supporting academic excellence. Open communication and student input could pave the way for fairer financial aid policies in the future.



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