National Fellowship Transforms Life of Dr. Anik Saha, Overcoming Financial Hardships to Become Research Assistant
With the help of the National Fellowship for students of Scheduled Castes, Dr. Anik Saha completed his PhD and established a career in research.
According to information shared by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, timely fellowship assistance is proving to be instrumental for researchers from marginalized communities. In this context, 33-year-old Dr. Anik Saha, belonging to the Sunri caste of the Scheduled Caste community, overcame severe financial challenges and achieved academic success through a national fellowship.
A difficult period arrived in Dr. Saha's life following the passing of his father, which left his family's financial situation in a dire state. Due to limited resources, he had to provide private tuitions in the evenings to cover his educational expenses and fees. Because of these financial deficits, completing a PhD seemed nearly impossible, yet he maintained his resolve toward higher education.
Between 2018 and 2022, he was provided financial assistance for his M.Phil. and PhD under the National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste (NFSC) scheme. This assistance included admission fees, academic fees, costs for fieldwork, and fees for the printing and submission of his thesis. The fellowship amount was equivalent to the rates prescribed for NET-JRF researchers. This financial support reduced the economic burden on Dr. Saha, allowing him to focus entirely on his research.
Through hard work and determination, Dr. Anik Saha successfully completed his PhD. Currently, he is working as a Research Assistant in a project of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) at Kazi Nazrul University located in Asansol, Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal. His journey demonstrates how targeted fellowship assistance enables researchers to overcome financial barriers and contribute to the field of higher education.
