The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), which operates as a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology in the Government of India, has introduced a new initiative called the “SERB International Research Experience (SIRE).”
The main goal of this program is to provide advanced research training in cutting-edge areas of Science and Technology that align with India’s interests. To leverage the knowledge and expertise acquired by SIRE fellows to enhance or launch national initiatives in their respective fields of expertise. It also seeks to promote research endeavors in priority areas that haven’t been extensively explored in the Indian context.
It offers individuals the opportunity to spend 2 to 6 months at renowned institutions and universities worldwide. To be eligible, applicants must hold a Ph.D. from a recognized institutions in India and have a permanent position at an Indian research institution. The age limit for applying is set at 40 years, with age relaxation as per Government of India norms applicable to SC/ ST/ OBC/ physically challenged and female candidates.
Under this program, SERB selects candidates working on forefront topics in Science and Technology and supports their visits to top global institutions, preferably those where world-renowned scientists are conducting research. Applicants are responsible for contacting the host institution for their visit and must provide a letter of approval for their research plan from the host institution.
SIRE Fellowship Details:
Organization: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
• This program is exclusively available to Indian nationals.
• Applicants must hold a Ph.D. degree in the field of Science and Engineering from a recognized Indian institution and must have a permanent position within an Indian research or academic institution.
• Applicants with an MBBS or MD degree, as well as veterinary doctors, are also eligible to apply.
• Those who have received the Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE) award can apply as well.
• As part of the application, applicants are required to submit a letter of support from the overseas host institution.
Age Limit:
The age limit for applying to this scheme is 40 years, calculated as of the date of application submission. However, there is an age relaxation of 5 years for applicants belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories, physically challenged individuals, and women.
Selection:
Candidates will be selected from among the faculty members who have obtained approval for their research plans from overseas institutions. The selection process will be overseen by a committee formed by the Board to carefully evaluate and choose the deserving candidates.
Fellowship Amount and Duration:
The chosen fellows will receive several benefits, including a monthly fellowship of US $3,000. Additionally, they will be granted a one-time Contingency/Preparatory allowance of Rs. 75,000, which is intended to cover expenses like visa fees, airport transfer charges, and insurance, both in India and abroad.
Furthermore, the selected fellows will be provided with the cost of the shortest route economy class airfare for their journey from their place of work in India to the host institute and back. This support aims to make their international research experience as comfortable and productive as possible.
How To Apply for SIRE Fellowship Online?
Eligible candidates can apply for the SIRE Fellowship 2023 online at SERB’s official website https://serbonline.in.
Contact Details:
Member Secretary:
Dr. Pramod Kumar Prasad , Scientist ‘D’
Tel: 011- 26511077
Email: pk.prasad@serb.gov.in
Program Coordinator:
Dr. Amitava Roy,
Email: amitava@nic.in
To facilitate better opportunities for minorities, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has introduced the “National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students”.
This scholarship has been introduced by merging two central scholarship schemes; the Rajiv Gandhi Fellowship and the Top Class Education for ST scheme. These scholarships were merged into a single central scheme, and the guidelines were first published in April 2015.
Under the new merged scholarship for ST students, financial aid will be provided to ST students who are willing to pursue higher education after the completion of their post-graduation courses. Students willing to pursue higher education courses like Ph.D. courses, M.Phil, etc. can apply for this fellowship.
The Objective of the NFS Scheme:
The scholarship and fellowship will be awarded to research students who want to pursue full-time courses. It aims to encourage meritorious students to pursue higher education.
The courses can be from any professional field such as Medicine, Law, Engineering, Management, and Information technology, and can be pursued by any government or private institution.
The main objective is to encourage the lowest literacy community in the country and help them acquire further education. It aims to create qualified professionals from the lowest literacy communities.
National Fellowship and Scholarship Details:
Organization: Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India
Scholarship Name: National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students
The national fellowship scheme for ST will cover all recognized universities and institutions that have been recognized by the UGC. It will be awarded to research students and cater to the needs of ST students who aim to pursue higher education leading to full-time courses in research or scientific institutions.
• National Scholarship:
The national scholarship for ST will cover institutions and courses notified by the Tribal Affairs Ministry Department. All ST students who secure admission to these institutions will be awarded scholarships, which will continue till the completion of the course term as long as the students give satisfactory performance.
Only the candidates belonging to the ST category shall be eligible for the fellowship program. They ought to have passed the Post-Graduation examination to be qualified for the Fellowship.
To surpass the eligibility criteria, the applicant will be required to first get affirmation and enrolment for regular and full-time M.Phil./Ph.D. Courses in University/Academic Institutions recognized by UGC.
The ST applicants once selected for a grant of this fellowship will not be qualified for some other grant of the Centre or State Government for the same study program.
The fellowship might be payable once the selected candidate has secured admission and begun the examination work at their research institute.
To be fully eligible for the Senior Research Fellowship an applicant should satisfy the UGC/ICAR standards recommended in this regard.
Eligibility Criteria for Scholarship:
ST understudies who have secured a seat in the notified Institutions as per the standards set by the respective Institutions will be considered to have qualified for receiving of grant under this scheme.
The aggregate family pay of the applicant to be qualified for this grant from all sources ought not to surpass Rs.6.00 lakh per annum.
The grant will wind up noticeably payable instantly after an understudy has secured confirmation and has begun going to the classes.
The scholarship granted under this scheme will proceed till the finish of the course, subject to satisfactory performance by the student till the term ends.
The scheme covers all institutes recognized under UGC. The addition or removal of institutes will be done by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The total number of fellowships for each year will be 750.
1000 Scholarship:
Ministry of Tribal Affairs will select and notify reputed premier institutions. The total number of scholarships awarded each year will be 1000.
Age Limit:
Not more than 36 years
Funding Pattern:
Fellowship: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will provide 100% of the funding that will be released quarterly.
Scholarship: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will provide 100% of the funding that will be released in a single installment.
Duration:
The course duration may vary as per the course selected by the students. The fellowship/scholarship, once given, will continue till the course is complete.
M.Phil
Two Years
Ph.D
Five Years
Ph.D. after completion of M.Pil
Two Years M.Phil and Three Years Ph.D
How to Apply for ST Fellowship/Scholarship Online 2023-24?
An online gateway https://scholarships.gov.in has been developed for an application, handling, processing, dispensing, and checking have been produced by this Ministry.
All eligible candidates taking admission in the different courses under the notified Universities/Institutes can fill up and form and submit the application on the web for a scholarship grant.
New students applying for scholarships are required to register themselves on the NSP website as new students by providing relevant information in the registration form.
Then log onto the scholarship website and fill out the application form. The information given in the application form will be confirmed by thoroughly verified by the University/Institute. The list of selected candidates will be generated automatically and displayed on the online portal.
Govt of India launched a Central Sector Fellowship scheme also known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship scheme to add more opportunities for SC/ST students to pursue their higher education such as MPhil and Ph.D.
This scheme carries the necessary requirements for SC and ST students to continue research degrees in universities /institutions. This will make them eligible for the employment of lecturer posts that are lying vacant in a number of universities.
Rajiv Gandhi Fellowship Scope:
The national fellowship scheme offers 2000 fellowships (JRF) for SC and 667 for ST students every year. The scheme covers all institutes/ universities recognized by UGC and also implemented by the University Grants Commission itself.
Contact Address: Director (SCD) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi, India
Contact Phone Number: 011-23387430
Help Email: fellowshiphelpline.ugc@gmail.com
Helpline Number: 1800-113-355
No. of Fellowships:
A total of 2,000 fellowships are awarded to SC and ST students under this scheme. If the number of students exceeds, the University Grants Commission (UGC) will select the students based on the marks obtained by the students in their PG exam.
Eligibility Criteria:
Student belonging to the SC or ST category and who has been admitted to an MPhil/ Ph.D. degree in a university is eligible for this fellowship.
After 2 years, if the improvement in the research work is found satisfactory, then his / her fellowship will be extended as SRF. The JRF may be terminated if the progress of the student is unsatisfactory by the member of the committee.
The SRF shall be sanctioned on a year-to-year basis. The total period of the scheme of Junior Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship shall not be more than 5 years.
The fellowship amount is paid from the registration date of the awardee in MPhil/Ph.D. courses.
This fellowship holder shall not be eligible for any other fellowship scheme either from State / Central Govt. or UGC.
Students pursuing regular and full-time courses are eligible for the national fellowship scheme.
The fellowship rates for Junior Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship will be as per the UGC norms. The HRA will be on the University Grants Commission (UGC) pattern and it will be payable to the candidates who are not getting hostel accommodation. For the other medical facilities, maternity leave will be provided as per the norms of the University Grants Commission.
How to Apply for RGF Fellowship Online?
Students must apply in the prescribed application format available online.
The application form should be complete in all respects along with a caste certificate, income certificate, age proof, educational document, etc.
Candidates should apply immediately after he has obtained admission to the university/institution.
The filled application as duly forwarded by the head of the concerned University should be sent to the concerned authority within the provided time.
Candidates studying out of their State must send their application form to the Director of the Social Welfare Department of their concerned state.
Women should constitute an important section of the workers. Therefore, the present situation of a large number of well-qualified women scientists who due to various circumstances have to leave out the S & T activity that needs to be addressed.
The problems are facing several but, significantly, the most frequent break in their careers are happens out in motherhood and for their family responsibilities.
The options for the renewal for their profession are presently unavailable that is due to the restrictions in an age group and qualification and there is no system at present that addresses these issues.
Women Scientist Scheme Details:
Scheme Name: Women Scientist Scheme
Organization: Science and Technology Department
Facility: Women Scientists and Technologists can apply for the Fellowship
There are three types of fellowship categories, with research grants that are available only for Indian citizens. These kinds of fellowships are seen in two ways that are institutional modes and non-institutional modes.
Below the institutional mode, the national and state-level organizations recognized universities, education, and R & D laboratories should be considered for the grant by the Department of S & T that is based on non-government, voluntary, and also non-profit organizations.
While working on community issues and also have the legal status of a registered society then they would be considered only under the non-institutional mode.
Different types of Fellowship:
Fellowships can be researched in the basic or applied for science (WOS-A).
Fellowships can be researched in the S & T that is based on Societal programs (WOS-B).
The internship is for self-employment (WOS-C).
Eligibility Criteria:
• Women scientists would be a minimum post-graduation degree, that is equivalent to M.Sc. in a basic and are applied for the sciences or B.tech, MBBs, or other equivalent professional qualifications these people are only eligible for this scheme.
• The Basic Ph. D should have a women scientist or applied sciences or M. Tech or MD/MS, DM/MCH in the medical sciences that are from recognized Universities.
At the time of the application form submission, the maximum age limit for this category is 27 to 57 years. The age relaxation will be of 5 years which should be given to the candidates who belong to SC/ST/OBC and the physically challenged category. The confirmed copies of supporting documents must be covered in this regard.
Last Date:
This scheme is open throughout the year and there is no last date for the applications.
How to Apply?
Interested and eligible applicants may visit the official website online-wosa.gov.in and apply online. Those interested in submitting the proposal have to register at this portal and submit the proposal online. Please read the guidelines available on the portal carefully before submitting the proposal.
