The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has highlighted how the National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC) Scheme helped a Tamil Nadu-based researcher complete her doctoral studies despite financial hardship. The case study of Dr Janaki Sundararajan demonstrates how targeted fellowship support can remove barriers that prevent talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds from pursuing advanced academic careers.
The fellowship and its impact
Dr Janaki, a 32-year-old scholar from Dindigul in Tamil Nadu, received assistance under the NFSC Scheme starting September 2019. She was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship of ₹35,000 per month during her Ph.D. period, which ran from 2019 to 2024.
Before receiving this support, Dr Janaki struggled to manage several aspects of full-time research. She faced difficulties affording research materials, digital resources, conference attendance, fieldwork expenses, data collection costs and academic travel. These financial constraints made it hard for her to concentrate fully on her doctoral work while also managing personal responsibilities.
The monthly fellowship allowed her to cover expenses directly related to her research activities and publication work. Beyond the financial aspect, the scheme provided her with the stability needed to pursue her studies without constant worry about household finances affecting her family.
Dr Janaki came from a modest family background where education was valued but resources were limited. Her family supported her academic aspirations despite the financial pressure of funding full-time research.
What this means for you
If you are a full-time research scholar from a Scheduled Caste background and come from a low-income family, the NFSC Scheme may provide monthly fellowship support to help cover research-related expenses. This includes costs for materials, travel, conferences and publications that would otherwise drain family resources. After completing her Ph.D., Dr Janaki moved into a teaching position at The Gandhigram Rural Institute, showing how the fellowship can serve as a stepping stone to an academic career.