IIT Kharagpur has awarded the first ever Learn-Earn-Return Fellowship to three of its 1st year students on the occasion of Annual Alumni Meet. The award had been instituted by IIT KGP Director Prof PP Chakrabarti in July 2016 with the funding crowd sourced from the alumni. Jyoti Agrawal, Jyotisman Das and Rathin Singha from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering were the recipients. Each of the students will receive Rs 10,000 per month for 4 years as cash award. At the end of the first semester of the 1st year, the fellowship will be awarded based on JEE Advanced rank. From second semester onward the recipients of the award would have to maintain a CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) 9. The fellowships were awarded on the occasion of the Annual Alumni Meet on January 13, 2018 in the presence of about 300 alumni who came from India and abroad. “The concept of Learn-Earn-Return (LER) Fellowship is to support a student and enable him/her with the vision of extending similar support as an alumnus towards future generations of students at IIT Kharagpur. So it’s a full circle of life which LER represents,” Prof Chakrabarti said.

About 120 alumni from all over the world and India donated for the fellowship since its launch. “LER is unique in the way that it enables us to meet various expenses of students associated with academics and research projects. I have taken the pledge to give back to my Alma Mater as I grow in my life,” said Jyotisman Das.

Rathin Singha pointed out that LER would help him pursue his studies without worrying about financial burden. “I am elated with the fellowship as it is an honour to stand in front of the alumni and be recipient of their care and affection for us. Also I feel the girls in the country and their parents should know about it and feel motivated to pursue career in engineering,” said Jyoti Agrawal.

Source: Financial Express