Hundreds of students continued their protest at the University Grants Commission (UGC) headquarters in New Delhi for the fourth day on Friday against the scrapping of fellowship awarded so far to non-National Eligibility Test (NET) research scholars.

A large number of students from Jawaharlal Nehru Uuniversity, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar University and other institutions in the national capital have been sitting on a dharna since Tuesday at the UGC demanding the authorities to restore the fellowships. Similar protests are also being organised in other parts of the country.

"The UGC Non-NET fellowship which was started in 2008 to encourage research in the universities has proved to be a lifeline for researchers who do not have access to other scholarships. It has encouraged students from different backgrounds to continue their research and what is required is to increase the amount from the paltry sum of Rs 5000 for M Phil students and Rs 8000 for PhD scholars. Instead, the government scraps it," All India Students' Association (AISA) said in a statement on Friday.

"Our protest and 'Occupy UGC' demonstration will continue till our demands are met and the fellowships restored," AISA's Ashutosh Kumar said. The Congress' students outfit, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), too has protested doing away of the fellowship.

The scheme of non-National Eligibility Test (NET) fellowship, which is provided to those undertaking research in central universities across India, was scrapped by the UGC in its last meeting. Under the scheme, financial assistance was provided to to students undertaking MPhil and PhD they were provided Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000 per month respectively. PhD students got assistance for four years and MPhil students for 18 months. They also got a contingency amount per year to help them carry out their research.

The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) has also condemned the scrapping of the crucial fellowship.

Watch the protest here: