DM University scholars demanding the release of pending fellowships and stipends have received support from the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), which has urged the university and the Manipur government to act quickly on the issue. The student organisation said delayed financial support is creating serious difficulties for research scholars and called for a transparent system to ensure timely payments.
DM University scholars continue hunger strike
Five PhD scholars of Dhanamanjuri University launched an indefinite hunger strike on September 9 under the banner of the Dhanamanjuri University Students’ Union. They are seeking the release of stipends that have remained pending for a prolonged period.
The protest entered its fourth day on September 12, with the scholars continuing their fast despite concerns over their health. The students have said they had repeatedly approached the authorities over the unpaid amounts. According to the students’ union, they had also received assurances that the pending stipends would be released by the first week of September. However, that deadline passed without the payments being made.
The issue has added financial pressure on researchers who depend on fellowships and stipends to continue their academic work. Some former research scholars have reportedly completed their work and left the university without receiving their pending stipends.
Health concerns raise urgency
The prolonged protest has also raised concerns over the well-being of the participating scholars. On September 11, a female scholar taking part in the hunger strike reportedly fell unconscious and was taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for treatment. She was later discharged from the hospital and returned to the protest site.
Despite the health setback, the five scholars continued their agitation and maintained their demand for payment of the outstanding amounts. The development has increased pressure on the authorities to address the matter before the protest takes a more serious toll on the participants.
DESAM backs DM University scholars
DESAM has now extended its support to the protesting researchers and described their demand for pending fellowships and stipends as genuine and legitimate. The student organisation argued that financial assistance is an essential part of supporting research rather than a discretionary benefit.
DESAM pointed out that research scholars incur expenses related to fieldwork, data collection, travel, books, equipment and other academic requirements. Delays in fellowship payments, it said, can disrupt research work and place additional financial burdens on scholars.
The organisation has called on the Manipur government and university authorities to intervene and settle the pending payments. It also urged officials to engage directly with the protesting scholars and find an immediate solution to the dispute.
Call for timely fellowship payments
Beyond the immediate release of pending amounts, DESAM has sought a permanent mechanism for transparent and timely fellowship payments. The organisation said such a system could prevent similar disputes from recurring and give research scholars greater financial certainty during their academic programmes.
DESAM has also called for support covering academic requirements such as publications, seminars and other research-related contingencies. Its position reflects a broader concern that financial uncertainty can affect the quality and continuity of research work at higher educational institutions.
The student body warned that the academic future and welfare of research scholars should not suffer because of delays in financial support. It urged the authorities to treat the matter as an academic and student welfare issue rather than allowing the protest to continue without a resolution.
University continues academic activities
The fellowship dispute comes as Dhanamanjuri University continues its academic activities and admissions for the 2026-27 session. The university’s official website lists several recent admission notifications, including selections and counselling for postgraduate programmes in subjects such as Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Manipuri and Education.
The university has also recently highlighted academic collaborations, including memorandums of understanding with institutions such as IIIT Manipur, the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development and the National Institute of Technology Manipur. These developments underline the university’s efforts to expand its academic engagement even as the fellowship issue remains unresolved.
For DM University scholars, however, the immediate priority remains the release of their pending financial support. The ongoing hunger strike has brought renewed attention to the need for timely fellowship payments and stronger administrative mechanisms. With DESAM now backing the protest, pressure is mounting on the university and the state government to open dialogue with the researchers and resolve the issue without further disruption to their academic work.