Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF)

The Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students is a central government scheme providing five-year financial assistance to students from six notified minority communities including Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Parsis, and Sikhs. The scheme is designed to support students pursuing higher education such as M.Phil and Ph.D. degrees at recognized Indian universities and institutions. Managed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs and implemented through the University Grants Commission, the fellowship covers all domains including Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, and Engineering. The fellowship facilitates academic research by offering monthly stipends and annual contingency grants. It aims to bridge the educational gap for minority research scholars who have qualified the UGC-NET or CSIR-NET examinations to ensure equitable access to research opportunities.