**Summary:**
This document summarizes the Ministry of Minority Affairs' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 606, addressing delays in the disbursement of Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) funds. The Ministry acknowledges protests from MANF scholars regarding non-payment of monthly fellowship dues. While the MANF scheme was discontinued from 2022-23 due to overlap with other fellowship schemes, existing MANF fellows will continue to receive fellowships until the end of their tenure. Delays in disbursal from January onward were attributed to pending approval for fund release. Approval has since been obtained, and funds have been released to the nodal agency for disbursement to students onboarded under MANF, in accordance with scheme and DBT Mission guidelines. No specific committee has been constituted to investigate the delays. The response was provided by the Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, on 23/07/2025.
Key Entities Referenced
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS: The Indian government ministry responsible for matters related to minority communities.
SHRI RAJA RAM SINGH: Member of LOK SABHA who raised the question about the delay in MANF scholarship disbursement.
Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF): A fellowship scheme for minority students, which has been discontinued from 2022-23 due to overlap with other schemes.
SHRI KIREN RIJIJU: The Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS who provided the answer to the question.
DBT Mission: The Direct Benefit Transfer Mission, an initiative to transfer benefits directly to beneficiaries.
LOK SABHA: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
2022-23: The financial year from which the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme was 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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