Techniques for monitoring grant channels in a wireless communication network are described. In one design, a user equipment (UE) determines whether a monitoring condition is satisfied, monitors at least one grant channel for grants of radio resources if the monitoring condition is satisfied, and stops monitoring the at least one grant channel if the monitoring condition is not satisfied. The UE may determine that the monitoring condition is satisfied after sending scheduling information indicating that there is data to send, if there is an outstanding grant of radio resources, if a grant of radio resources is expected, if there is at least one scheduled flow and a data buffer for the scheduled flow(s) is not empty, if there is an outstanding grant of radio resources and data transmission has been sent using this grant of radio resources, if there is at least one other control channel to monitor, etc.