Only 81 enrollements till 2022, ASEAN PhD Fellowship Programme ends with a whimper

Launched with a bang by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, the ASEAN PhD Fellowship Programme (APFP) seems to have ended with a whimper.

Aimed at giving 1,000 ASEAN citizens a chance to study in an IIT of their choice, the fellowship could enroll only 81 till 2022.

Soon after its launch, the ministry of external affairs advertised the fellowship across Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia. Although admissions were offered in 2019, the actual process started in 2020 and continued in 2021 and 2022.

Forty-two students were admitted in 2020, 22 in 2021 and 17 in 2022. Sources said that out of these 81 students, only 33 are continuing with their studies as of now, while one received his PhD last month. The scheme completed its valid enrolment period in 2022.

Modi had announced the PhD fellowships at the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi under which scholarships offered to ASEAN students were on a par with Indian PhD scholars, apart from annual research grants for books, travel grants and contingency.

Two government officials said that the scheme involved expenditure of Rs 300 crore. In the budget for 2020-21, the government allocated Rs 33 crore for the scheme.

An IIT-Delhi faculty member said he was unaware that such a fellowship existed. “I have not heard of this fellowship. It means the institute has not created adequate awareness,” the faculty member said.

Another faculty member said that the pandemic severely affected admissions under the fellowship.

“Because of travel restrictions, many students opted out. Every scheme gains popularity over a period of time. Before this fellowship had a chance to become popular, it was discontinued,” he said.

This newspaper emailed higher education secretary Sanjay Murthy, asking if the rest of the slots would be offered to ASEAN candidates soon. His reply is awaited.