By team abhyaspeeth 
Students warn of indefinite hunger strike outside BARTI office
Pune: The delay in releasing the official notification for the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar National Research Fellowship (BANRF) 2023-24 has led to growing unrest among research scholars. The fellowship is awarded by the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI), Pune, specifically to support Ph.D. students from Scheduled Castes.
Despite repeated representations and in-person meetings with the authorities, no official announcement has been made so far. In response, the Research Scholars’ Action Committee has submitted a memorandum to the Minister of Social Justice and the Director General of BARTI, demanding the release of the BANRF notification within eight days.
Failing this, the students have warned of an indefinite hunger strike outside the BARTI office starting April 28, 2025. The committee has accused BARTI of neglecting the principles of social justice by delaying the fellowship.
The BANRF scheme, active since 2013, is a crucial source of financial aid for SC students pursuing doctoral studies. Scholars including Nalanda Wakode, Pravin Hivrale, Sandesh Dhadse, Rishi Kamble, and Nilesh Bhagwant were present during the submission of the memorandum. The committee has urged immediate action to avoid further escalation of the protest.