Two years on, OUAT MSc, PhD scholars await Rs 10k-Rs 20k promised monthly stipend

Postgraduate and doctoral students at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) have highlighted an alleged prolonged delay in the implementation of a monthly stipend that was promised to them by the state government. 

The MSc and PhD scholars in Agriculture and Allied Sciences alleged the stipend scheme, approved in 2023, has not yet been put into effect despite the decision being taken more than two years ago.

According to the scholars, the agriculture department had decided that MSc students would receive a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 while PhD students would be entitled to Rs 20,000. 

However, this commitment reportedly remains unfulfilled, prompting significant frustration among the research community.

Also Read: OUAT PG and PhD students’ hunger strike; everything to know

MSc, PhD Scholars Had Met Odisha CM

The delay led the students to begin an indefinite hunger strike on December 22, 2025. Three days later, they met with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chief Secretary Anu Garg, pressing for clarity on when the stipend would be rolled out. Following assurances from the chief minister that action would be taken by January 15, the scholars called off their strike.

The students also pointed to the commencement of ‘Krushi Odisha-2026’, a flagship agricultural event in Bhubaneswar, as a backdrop that underscores the contradiction they perceive between large government investments in agricultural development and the lack of financial support for the university’s research scholars. 

The Bhubaneswar OUAT MSc, PhD scholars described the stipend as essential support for those at the forefront of agricultural innovation.

According to The Times of India, a senior OUAT official said the issue is currently under review by the Odisha government; however, the official didn’t provide a specific timeline for implementation.