Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students (MANF)

What was the Maulana Azad National Fellowship?

Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) was a Central Sector fellowship of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, implemented through the University Grants Commission (UGC). MANF provided financial support to research students from India's notified minority communities so they could pursue higher research degrees: M.Phil and Ph.D: in universities and recognised institutions.

According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, MANF was aimed at integrating minority students into the higher-education research ecosystem, where their representation was historically low. The fellowship covered students from the six centrally notified minority communities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis).

The scheme was modelled on the UGC's regular research fellowships. Selected scholars received a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) rate in their initial years of research and a higher Senior Research Fellow (SRF) rate in later years, along with house rent allowance and an annual contingency grant, all as per prevailing UGC norms. Up to 1,000 fresh fellowships were sanctioned in a typical year while the scheme was active.

Is MANF still running in 2026?

No. The Ministry of Minority Affairs discontinued MANF from the 2022-23 cycle. No new applications have been invited since then. In replies placed before Parliament, the government explained that the fellowship overlapped with other fellowship and scholarship schemes already available to minority and general students, and it was withdrawn to avoid duplication of benefits.

This guide is therefore a reference to a closed scheme. It is retained because MANF still appears on scheme directories and because thousands of scholars selected before 2022-23 continue to draw the fellowship for their remaining sanctioned tenure. If you are searching for MANF as a current opportunity, you will not be able to apply.

Who was eligible for MANF?

While the scheme was open, an applicant could apply if they:

• Belonged to one of the six notified minority communities.
• Were enrolled in, or had secured admission to, a regular full-time M.Phil or Ph.D programme in a recognised university or institution.
• Met the family-income and other conditions specified in that year's guidelines.

Who could not apply: students outside the notified minority communities; students in distance, part-time or non-recognised programmes; and candidates already holding another fellowship of a similar nature for the same research, since a scholar cannot draw two fellowships simultaneously.

In 2026, no one can apply — the scheme is closed to fresh selection. This applies to every category of student regardless of merit or community.

What did MANF provide?

MANF followed the UGC fellowship template rather than a fixed rupee figure of its own. Benefits comprised:

• A monthly fellowship at the JRF rate for the first phase of research and the SRF rate thereafter, as revised by the UGC from time to time.
• House rent allowance as per UGC/university norms where hostel accommodation was not provided.
• An annual contingency grant to meet books, travel and research expenses.

Because the actual rupee amounts tracked UGC revisions across the scheme's life, this guide does not quote a single fixed figure. Existing awardees should refer to their sanction letter and the UGC circular applicable to their cohort for the exact amount they are entitled to.

How to apply for MANF (historical process)

MANF is closed, so there is no live application. For reference, the process while the scheme was open was:

1. Wait for the annual notification issued by the UGC/National Testing Agency inviting MANF applications, usually alongside the national fellowship selection cycle.
2. Qualify through the prescribed selection route: in later years, selection was linked to performance in the national eligibility test used for research fellowships.
3. Register and submit the online application on the designated fellowship portal, uploading the minority-community certificate, admission proof, identity and bank details.
4. Join a recognised M.Phil/Ph.D programme and have the university forward your joining report so the UGC could release the fellowship through the institution.

What should minority research scholars do now?

Because MANF is closed, minority-community research scholars in 2026 should look at alternative, currently active options for which they qualify:

1. UGC National Fellowships and the national research fellowship route, which are open to eligible candidates irrespective of community.
2. State-government fellowships for research scholars, several of which have dedicated minority or weaker-section components.
3. Institutional fellowships offered directly by universities, the CSIR, and other research bodies.

Always verify the current status of any fellowship on the sponsoring body's official website before applying, as scheme availability changes from year to year.

Help and where to check

• Ministry of Minority Affairs: minorityaffairs.gov.in
• University Grants Commission (UGC): ugc.gov.in, for disbursement and continuation queries of existing MANF awardees
• Existing awardees should route payment and tenure questions through their university research/finance section, which interfaces with the UGC.

No agent or website can "get your name added" to MANF, because the scheme is not accepting new beneficiaries. Treat any such offer as fraudulent.