Yuva Graduate Forum has demanded an increase in the number of students covered under the BARTI Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme and withdrawal of the newly introduced 35-year upper age limit. In a representation to the Director General of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI), Pune, forum representative Atul Khobragade said the fellowship scheme plays an important role in promoting higher education and research among students belonging to the Scheduled Castes. The forum has objected to changes introduced in the Ph.D. fellowship advertisement issued on July 1, 2026, particularly the restriction on the number of beneficiaries and the reduction in the upper age limit. According to the new guidelines, a maximum of 100 students per institution has been fixed for the fellowship.

 

The forum said that under the earlier Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar National Research Fellowship (BANRF) scheme, a larger number of students had access to fellowship support. With the growing number of Ph.D. researchers and increasing demand for higher education, the forum has sought an increase in the 100-student ceiling, stating that otherwise several eligible researchers could be deprived of financial assistance despite meeting the required criteria. The forum has also opposed the introduction of a 35-year upper age limit for the Ph.D. fellowship. It pointed out that the BANRF-2018 guidelines had prescribed an upper age limit of 40 years. Khobragade said students do not follow identical academic and social trajectories.

 

Many enter Ph.D. programmes at a later stage because of postgraduate studies, NET/SET/PET examinations, employment, family responsibilities or financial difficulties. The forum argued that excluding otherwise eligible researchers solely on the basis of age could adversely affect students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It has therefore demanded that the 35-year age limit be scrapped. If complete removal of the age criterion is not possible, it has sought restoration of the earlier 40-year limit. The representation has also been forwarded to the Commissioner of the Social Justice Department, the Secretary of the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, and the Minister for Social Justice and Special Assistance, Maharashtra Government.