The All India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA) has raised concerns over the arbitrary termination of fellowships awarded under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The association termed the sudden cancellations without prior notice as “mental harassment of young researchers.”
The issue came to light after the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, reported the termination of a Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) due to technical delays on the CSIR’s Financial Management System (FMS) portal.
SGPGIMS Seeks Reinstatement of SRF Fellowship
In a letter dated September 29, 2025, SGPGIMS wrote to the Human Resource Development Group (HRDG) of CSIR regarding the cancellation of fellow Madhuri Singh’s fifth-year SRF fellowship. Her fellowship was terminated on August 31, citing non-submission of the Annual Progress Report (APR).
However, the institute clarified that Singh had completed and signed her APR on August 8, with her supervisor’s endorsement. The delay occurred because the institute did not receive the “Maker login credential” for the new FMS portal from CSIR in time.
“The lapse occurred solely due to the delay in issuance of portal credentials, and not due to any default on the part of the fellow,” SGPGIMS stated.
The letter also requested reinstatement of Singh’s fellowship with full continuity of tenure and benefits, and urged CSIR to expedite her supervisor change application.
Delay in Portal Credentials Affected Submission
Before the table, here’s a short context: the institute highlighted that a change in portal access led to missed submission deadlines.
Issue | Description |
Cause of Delay | Retirement of the earlier “Maker” and late issuance of credentials for the new one |
Submission Window Closed | September 19, 2025 |
Impact | Delay in uploading the APR for fellowship continuation |
Institute’s Claim | Delay was procedural, not the fellow’s fault |
Request Made | Reinstatement of fellowship with benefits |
According to SGPGIMS, the credentials were issued only after the submission window closed, making it impossible to upload the report on time. The institute stated that terminating the fellowship in such circumstances was “procedurally harsh and contrary to CSIR guidelines.”
AIRSA Condemns Fellowship Termination
The AIRSA, in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), alleged that several scholars who qualified for CSIR-JRFhave faced abrupt termination of their fellowships without any prior communication to their Principal Investigator (PI) or host institution.
“After qualifying CSIR-JRF, many scholars face arbitrary fellowship termination — often without any communication to PI or Institution. This is not just negligence; it’s mental harassment of India’s young researchers,” the association stated.
AIRSA urged the CSIR to review its fellowship management process and ensure that technical delays or procedural issues do not result in unjust termination of valid fellowships.
