Prime Minister’s Research Fellow Scheme Extended To Central Universities

New Delhi: The top-ranking central universities in the country have now been included in the list of host institutes for carrying out research under the Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme.

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development, in a communication, said the universities must be ranked among the top 100 in the National Institute of Ranking Framework (NIRF) list.

As of now, IITs, IISERs and IIS Bangalore are the institutes offering the fellowship scheme.

The scheme was launched last year by the Narendra Modi government to boost quality research in the country and stop the brain drain. But there were few takers in the IITs for the scheme, forcing the government to consider the inclusion of the central universities, sources in the Ministry said.

Eligibility:
Students who have completed, or are pursuing, the final year of four-year undergraduate or five years integrated M.Tech programme.

Students who have completed five years integrated M.Sc. or five-year undergraduate-postgraduate dual degree programmes or two year M.Sc. programmes in Science and Technology streams from IIEST, IISc, IITs, NITs, ISERs and centrally funded IIITs or any other university recognised in India.

Fellowship: 

Selected candidates are offered a fellowship of Rs 70,000 per month for the first two years; Rs 75,000 per month for the third year and Rs 80,000 per month in the last two years.

Besides, a fellow is eligible to receive a research grant of Rs 2 lakh for five years to cover their academic contingency expenses and for travel expenses.

There is a rigorous review of the performance and continuation of the next year fellowship is contingent upon successful review.