**Summary:**
This document summarizes the Ministry of Minority Affairs' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 606, regarding delays in the disbursement of Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) funds. The Ministry acknowledges protests from MANF scholars concerning non-payment of monthly fellowship dues. The response clarifies that the MANF scheme was discontinued from 2022-23 due to overlap with other fellowship schemes, but existing MANF fellows will continue to receive fellowships until their tenure ends. Delays in payments from January onward were attributed to pending approval, which has since been obtained. Funds have now been released to the nodal agency for disbursement to onboarded students, in accordance with scheme and DBT Mission guidelines. The Ministry states that no specific committee has been constituted to investigate these recurring lapses. The Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, provided the answer to the Lok Sabha. The question was scheduled to be answered on July 23, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Minority Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for matters related to minority communities.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF): A fellowship scheme for minority students, which has been discontinued from 2022-23 but existing fellows continue to receive fellowships.
SHRI RAJA RAM SINGH: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question about the delay in MANF scholarship disbursement.
SHRI KIREN RIJIJU: The Minister of Minority Affairs who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
DBT Mission: A government mission related to Direct Benefit Transfer, mentioned in the context of MANF scheme guidelines.
2022-23: The financial year from which the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme has been discontinued.
January: The month from which committed liabilities under MANF were not paid pending approval.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 606
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23/072025
DELAY IN MANF SCHOLARSHIP
606. SHRI RAJA RAM SINGH:
Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scholars
are protesting against the non-payment of monthly fellowship dues for several months as widely
reported and raised directly with the Ministry;
(b) if so, the reasons for the inordinate delay in disbursal of sanctioned fellowship amounts
despite repeated representations;
(c) the details of mechanisms put in place to ensure time-bound release of fellowships to current
awardees post;
(d) the steps taken by the Government to prevent systemic delays in scholarship disbursal to
minority scholars; and
(e) whether any committee has been constituted to look into these recurring lapses and if so, the
details thereof along with findings of the committee report as well as action taken thereon?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) to (d): Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme has been discontinued from
2022-23 onward in view of the overlap among the other fellowship schemes. However, the
existing MANF fellows will continue to receive fellowships till the end of their respective
tenure. Committed liabilities under MANF were not paid from January onwards pending
approval. Recently, necessary approval was obtained on the release of funds to those students
who have been on-boarded under the MANF in terms of the scheme guidelines/ DBT Mission
guidelines. Following this, Ministry has released funds to nodal agency for disbursement of
fellowship.
(e) No specific committee has been constituted in the matter.
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