From PhD Challenges to Semiconductor Research: How National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Scheme Supported SANGEETA DAS’s Academic Journey

The National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste (NFSC) scheme provided Sangeeta Das—a 34‑year‑old Scheduled Caste scholar—₹31,000 per month from 30 November 2020, enabling her to complete her Ph.D. despite research pressures, experimental failures, strict publication deadlines, and family responsibilities, including caring for a newborn and a father with dementia. The fellowship’s financial and academic support allowed her to continue her work in semiconductor and chip‑design technologies and later secure a position as Project Associate II under the Chips to Startup Programme, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).