Jodhpur: Eight young research fellows who worked under the dept of Science and Technology (DST)-funded project at ICAR–Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur, have not yet received their stipends since July last year, pushing them into financial distress.The project, officially for 2024-25, ended on July 29, 2025, but payments remain upaid. The fellows appointed as Junior Research Fellows (JRFs) and Senior Research Fellows (SRFs) were allegedly told by the institute that DST had not released funds, despite repeated written follow-ups.They were part of a long-term project titled ‘Enhancing Food and Water Security in Arid Region through Improved Understanding of Quantity, Quality, and Management of Blue, Green and Grey Water’ implemented at CAZRI since 2019. Each fellow was entitled to a monthly stipend of Rs 37,000 along with house rent allowance.Pending dues range from two to 16 months per fellow, with individual arrears between Rs 80,000 and nearly Rs 7 lakh. Collectively, the unpaid amount exceeds Rs 24 lakh.CAZRI acting director SPS Tanwar said, “I am personally following the matter. The fellows deserve to be paid for their hard work. I assure they will be paid by April, even if CAZRI does not receive the funds.”Terming the delay devastating, one fellow said several researchers from rural backgrounds had to borrow money at high interest for rent and food. “Some quit midway, while others continued working on repeated assurances,” he said.The fellows said all were selected on merit, holding postgraduate degrees and NET or GATE qualifications, one secured AIR 13 in GATE 2025. They claimed multiple emails sent to DST since June 2025 went unanswered, adding that recurring delays in fellowships threaten the future of research careers in India.
