A student named Bharathidasan, who went to study at the National University of Malaysia under the Annal Ambedkar Overseas Higher Education Scheme, has been repeatedly appealing to the government since April, saying that he is facing severe hardship because he has not received his scholarship.
This issue was also discussed in the Legislative Assembly. Even after that, allegations arose that the scholarship had still not been granted and that accusations were being leveled against the student himself.
In this situation, the government side has sent an email to student Bharathidasan with questions such as, “Are you asking for funds only to buy research equipment?”
As a result, the distressed student said, `I had sent all the evidence, along with the lists my teacher had given me regarding the equipment I needed to buy, with proof. Even after that, the government is starting from scratch.
You have broken the trust my teachers had in me. You are trying to suppress me with your authority. What happened to Rohith Vemula is happening to me too," he said in the video he released.
In response to this video, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment issued a statement on its X page.
It stated, ``Since the student had requested full disbursement of the scholarship for the second year (2026-2027) without properly submitting the required documents, and considering the student’s educational welfare, the entire tuition fee payable to the university, amounting to Rs. 5.57 lakh, has been transferred to the university’s bank account, and Rs. 6.65 lakh has been transferred to the student’s bank account as living expenses, totaling Rs. 12.00 lakh (RM 23460 + RM 27600 = RM 51060) for the second academic year, released in the year 2026.

Following this, the student has requested that Rs. 19.50 lakh (RM 83,300) be released for second-year research expenses. However, the estimated expense statements submitted by the student were not recommended by the concerned university registrar.
In this situation, among the documents submitted by the student for the research and living expenses of the first year of study, it was pointed out that the bills for Rs. 8,17,962/- were not acceptable, and on 20.08.2026 the student had already been asked for an explanation regarding the research materials purchased by the student and the documents proving payment for the same. However, to date, the student has not provided a proper explanation.
Furthermore, an email was sent today (17.09.2026; 13:01 Hrs) from the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department to the Registrar of National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia), where the student is studying, regarding student Mr. Bharathidasan’s research expense claim of Rs. 19.50 lakh (RM 83300) for his second year of study, requesting the university to recommend and forward that the research materials stated by the student and the related expenses are required for that student’s research alone. A copy of the same was also sent to the student.
The email also stated that the scholarship would be released as soon as a response was received from the university.
17.09.2026 - Department of Social Justice Press Release
— Office of Social Justice Minister (@OffVanniArasu) September 17, 2026
It was reported on the X platform that Mr. Bharathidasan, a student pursuing doctoral research (Ph.D) in Malaysia, was not provided the scholarship for the second year of study under the Annal Ambedkar Overseas Education Scholarship Scheme… pic.twitter.com/QBAoPS6sdl
In this situation, upon receiving the aforementioned email, the student recorded a video on the X platform and posted false information. While the student has so far been provided a total of Rs. 48.00 lakh, comprising Rs. 36 lakh for the first year of study and Rs. 12.00 lakh for the second year, the statements made in the student’s video are completely contrary to the truth and are intended to defame," it noted.
