Mysuru: Demanding the immediate payment of their pending scholarship amount for students who have been selected for scholarships for the year 2021, SC/ST research students began an indefinite protest in front of University Crawford Hall on Thursday.

“For the academic year 2020-21, 46 students were selected for research scholarships given by Mysore University’s SC/ST special unit. In the scholarship order copy, it is stated that scholarships have been paid for 5 years from the date of temporary registration for Ph.D courses. All research students have temporarily registered themselves for Ph.D courses during 2017- 2018, 2019-2020 and none of the students have received student scholarships before 2021. But, it is stated in the order copy that scholarships have been paid since the date of temporary registration,” alleged the protesting SC/ST research students.

“Despite our continuous appeals to the University during the last two years to release the due amount, we have not received any positive response. The authorities are only giving false assurances and lame excuses citing the poor financial position of the University. Our scholarship amount due for the last year have not been paid and we suspect it has been misused,” said SC/ST research students and demanded that their pending scholarship amount be paid immediately.

SC/ST research students association president Maridevaiah, researcher students C.M. Pratap, D. Kiran, K.M. Ravi, Rajendra, Ashwini and others took part in the protest.