From Teaching to Research Excellence: Midhila Radhakrishnan’s Journey with NFSC

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

From Teaching to Research Excellence: Midhila Radhakrishnan’s Journey with NFSC

Posted On: 14 SEP 2026 5:11PM by PIB Delhi The National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC) enables aspiring scholars to pursue doctoral education by addressing financial barriers.

Smt. Midhila Radhakrishnan’s journey reflects how this fellowship support has helped her secure admission, focus on research and strengthen her capabilities as an educator and researcher.

Smt. Midhila Radhakrishnan, a 30-year-old scholar from Thrissur district, Kerala, is pursuing her Ph.D. with support under NFSC.

Currently in the fourth year of her doctoral programme, she has published four research papers in Scopus- indexed journals—two in Q1 and two in Q2 categories.

Her aspiration to pursue research grew while working as an Assistant Professor in a college. As she guided students, she recognised the need to deepen her research knowledge to address their questions and support their projects more effectively. This experience motivated her to pursue doctoral studies.

However, translating this aspiration into reality required financial support. As a fresher, her college salary was low and insufficient to support her doctoral ambitions independently. Although her family was financially stable, she had chosen not to depend on them for her expenses after completing post- graduation.

Her university required Ph.D. applicants to hold a fellowship, making financial assistance essential for admission. The award of the NFSC fellowship in 2020 opened a path forward. Midhila joined her Ph.D.

programme in 2022, and fellowship assistance began in June that year.

Through fellowship, House Rent Allowance (HRA) and contingency assistance, NFSC has helped her manage the expenses associated with doctoral study. She reports receiving ₹42,000 as Senior Research Fellowship support and ₹8,400 as HRA. Consistent financial assistance has enabled her to concentrate on research without economic stress and provide compensation to participants involved in her research work.Her four publications in Scopus-indexed journals mark significant progress in her ongoing doctoral journey. The fellowship has remained a source of motivation, supporting her efforts to develop the research expertise that first inspired her to pursue a Ph.D.

Talking about the help and support, Smt. Midhila Radhakrishnan said, “NFSC support enabled me to pursue my PhD and focus on research without financial stress.” Midhila Radhakrishnan’s journey illustrates how NFSC support enables aspiring researchers to overcome financial and admission barriers, pursue doctoral education and strengthen their contribution to teaching and academia.

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