The objective of the Fellowship is to provide integrated five year fellowships in the form of financial assistance to students from minority communities, as notified by the Central Government to pursue higher studies such as M. Phil and Ph.D. The Fellowship will cover all Universities/Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under section 2(f) and section 3 of the UGC Act and will be implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs through UGC for students belonging to the minority communities. The fellowship under Fellowships awarded to research students pursuing regular and full time M. Phil and Ph.D courses. The fellowship holders under this Fellowship will be known as Ministry of Minority Affairs scholars.

The Fellowship will cater to the requirements of the minority community students pursuing research studies leading to regular and full time M.Phil and Ph.D courses only and equivalent research degree in universities, research institutions and scientific institutions within India. This will enable them to be eligible for employment to the posts with M.Phil and Ph.D as pre-requisites, including the posts of lecturers in various academic institutions.

UGC will be the nodal agency for implementing the Fellowship. UGC will notify the Fellowship by releasing suitable advertisement in the newspapers, internet, webpage and other media.

A candidate has to fulfill the following conditions to avail the benefit of MANF:-

1. He/she should belong to one of the minority communities notified under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
2. He/she should get admission and registration for regular and full time M.Phil/Ph.D courses in University/Academic Institution by fulfilling conditions of admission of that University/Institution, subject to provisions of the Fellowship as per advertisement of UGC are eligible to apply for fellowship w.e.f. 2015-16.
3. The minority community students once considered eligible for the fellowship shall not be entitled to benefits under any other source, Central or State Government or any other body like UGC for the same study.
4. Prior clearance of NET/SLET examination will not be a prerequisite for award of Maulana Azad National Fellowship for minority students for M.Phil/Ph.D.
5. In order to qualify for the award of JRF/ SRF the UGC norms would be applicable at pre-M.Phil and pre-Ph.D stage, respectively, including the minimum score of 50% at post graduate level.

The duration of award ship of MANF is subject to MANF Scheme guidelines clause 6.

UGC is the nodal agency for implementing the Maulana Azad National Fellowship for minority students, as defined by Government of India from time to time.

1. UGC invites applications for fellowship online once in a year by inserting suitable advertisement in the Press and other media.
2. Clearing NET/SLET shall not be insisted upon by UGC for the award of Maulana Azad National Fellowship for minority students. UGC will give adequate time to the candidates for applying for the fellowship.
3. Selection of candidates, within the prescribed annual income limit will be based on inter-se merit, as under Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Fellowship.
4. The distribution of fellowship among different States/UTs would be in proportion to minority population in respective States/UTs as per 2001 census. However, all States/UTs shall have at least 4 fellowships by suitably reducing the targets of states having higher allocations. There will be no community-wise distribution in States/UTs with four fellowships. All applications will be pooled together and decided on the basis of merit.
5. In case the number of fellowship so allocated to a State/UT are not fully utilized, due to non-availability of eligible candidates, UGC will reallocate the slots amongst other States/UTs where the number of eligible candidates is more than the slots allocated to that State/UT. This decision will be taken by a Committee consisting of the representatives of UGC and Joint Secretary incharge of the scholarship in Ministry of Minority Affairs.
6. The decision of UGC in regard to awarding the Maulana Azad National Fellowship for minority students shall be final and no appeal would lie against any decision by UGC in regard thereof, except as provided under law in force.

The income ceiling of the parents/guardian of the candidate for Maulana Azad National Fellowship for minority students will be Rs.2.5 Lakh per annum.

Disbursement of the fellowship amount is taken care by the UGC through Canara Bank which is nodal Bank of this Scheme.

Minority communities i.e. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis) notified under Section 2 (C) of NCM Act, 1992 are covered under the Scheme of MANF.

Only M. Phil and Ph. D classes are covered under MANF.

Selection for fellowship is made purely on merit basis. The merit in this case determines against the State quota of the domicile State of student. For example if a student belongs to Jharkhand and doing its M. Phil or Ph. D from Central University, Hyderabad, his/her merit will be determined against the physical allocation of Fellowship to Jharkhand State. There was Roster till 31.03.2014 for selection of Fellowship i.e. Arts, Commerce, Science and Engineering. That has been dispensed with since 2014-15.