OUAT PG and PhD Monthly Stipend: Eligibility and Rules
Based on: Notification No. 17015/A&FE dated 08.08.2024, File No. DAFE-RESH-MISC-0019-2021
If you are an academic administrator at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) or a postgraduate student preparing your stipend claim, you need to know the exact terms of the state government's financial support scheme. Misinterpreting the eligibility clauses or failing to account for scholarship duplication can hold up disbursements at the university level. You must apply the precise criteria set by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment to process these monthly payments correctly.
The short answer
Eligible professional Post-graduate students receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 10,000 for up to two years, while Ph.D. students receive Rs. 15,000 per month for up to three years. This benefit applies only to regular students in Agriculture and Allied disciplines at OUAT. Students enrolled in self-financing courses, the College of Basic Sciences, or under the NRI quota are strictly excluded from this scheme.
What the rule actually says
According to Notification No. 17015/A&FE dated 08.08.2024 (File No. DAFE-RESH-MISC-0019-2021):
Government after careful consideration have been pleased to extend monthly stipend of Rs.10,000/- and Rs.15,000/- to the students pursuing professional Post-graduate (02 years) and Ph.D. (upto 03 years) programmes respectively, in Agriculture and Allied disciplines under Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) to encourage quality research, promote higher agricultural education and retain meritorious students in the University.
This initiative was approved with the concurrence of the Finance Department under OSWAS File No. FIN-ESI-MISC-0073-2025 and took effect on August 8, 2024.
How it works in practice
To disburse the stipend, your office must verify that the student is enrolled in a regular, non-excluded program. The financial aid scales are structured as follows:
| Programme Type | Duration | Monthly Stipend Rate | Maximum Total Stipend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Post-graduate (PG) | 2 Years | Rs. 10,000/- | Rs. 2,40,000/- |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | Up to 3 Years | Rs. 15,000/- | Rs. 5,40,000/- |
This stipend is not a one-time approval for the entire course. The university must renew the provision on a year-to-year basis. Before initiating a renewal for the second or third year, the academic branch must receive and record a certificate of "satisfactory performance" for each student.
Where people get this wrong
There are three critical areas where administrative errors commonly occur:
- Double-dipping Scholarships: Students cannot draw this stipend alongside another scholarship. If a student already receives financial assistance from another state, central, or institutional agency, they must formally choose between the two. Your office must obtain a written option from the student stating which assistance they will retain. If a student is found to have hidden another scholarship, their OUAT stipend must be cancelled.
- Ineligible Departments and Quotas: Even if they are studying at OUAT, you cannot sanction stipends for students from the College of Basic Sciences, the Centre for Post Graduate Studies (Self-financing), or those admitted through the NRI quota.
- Discontinuation Gaps: If a student discontinues their studies midway through the semester, the stipend must be stopped immediately. It is not a guaranteed tenure award; it depends entirely on active, continuous enrollment and satisfactory academic progress.
Ensure that all declaration forms regarding external scholarships are collected and vetted before the first monthly bill is sent to the treasury. Proper scrutiny at the departmental level will prevent audit objections and recovery proceedings later.