Prime Minister’s Fellowship for Doctoral Research

Description
Prime Minister’s Fellowship for Doctoral Research scheme is a prestigious initiative of the Science and Engineering Research Board SERB , Department of Science & Technology, Government of India towards the advancement of university research engagements in line with industry requirements. This scheme is aimed at encouraging young, talented, enthusiastic, and result-oriented scholars to take up industry-relevant research by partnering with institutions of academic excellence. The intent was to leverage research with the industry’s innovative capacity by providing access to know-how and facilities. These are critical in advancing expertise and technologies leading to tangible economic outcomes like patents, licenses, non-patented and non-licensed new products, and processes. Under this scheme, there are 100 slots of fellowships available annually to researchers to pursue PhD in reputed technology and research institutions in India. The first batch of fellowships commenced in 2013. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry FICCI on behalf of SERB implements the scheme. Aim: - To encourage and inspire promising young Indian Ph.D. researchers to pursue industry-relevant research in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and medicine. - To build industry-academia partnerships for advancing R&D. - To boost research on industrially relevant subject areas. Key Features of the Fellowship: In addition to the attractive scholarship, the Prime Minister’s Fellowship emphasizes providing a unique and invigorating experience to selected fellows. It ensures the best national and international exposure for them and provides mentoring through industry and academic experts through the mechanism of annual review meetings. In addition, periodic mentorship sessions are also organized with the help of expert external agencies. Duration of Fellowship: • As per the provisions of the scheme, the scholarship is given for a maximum period of four years.

Exclusions
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Benefits
• Under this scheme, full-time PhD scholars get double the JRF/SRF fellowship amount, as a scholarship.
• The scheme has the provision to award up to 100 new scholarships every year. One-half of this scholarship comes from the government; the second half comes from a partner company that also works closely with the candidate on the research project.

Eligibility Criteria
1. The applicant should be Indian.
2. The applicant should be a full-time PhD scholar in any recognized Indian university/institute/research laboratory.
3. The scholar’s PhD registration date should not be more than 14 months from the date of submission of application i.e. the applicant should apply within 14 months of PhD admission/registration whichever date is earlier.
4. The applicant should have a valid industry partner who should be ready to support the research project financially as well as provide guidance and mentorship.
5. The mutually agreed topic of research, between the applicant and the supporting company, should be innovative, have practical relevance, and have industrial application.
6. The selected applicant should be willing to work with/in the supporting company as and when required during the project period.
7. The applicant should not draw any other fellowship after the selection.

Required Documents
• Recent Passport Size Picture
• PhD Enrolment & Registration Certificate
• 10th, 12th, Graduation & Post-Graduation Certificate
• Scan Other Degree / Diploma Certificates (if applicable)
• Profile of the host institute
• Bio-data of PhD Supervisor, not exceeding 3 pages
• Profile of Partner Company with Logo
• Bio-data of Industry Mentor, not exceeding 3 pages
• Undertaking from the Research Supervisor and Head of the Organization of the Institute / University
• Undertaking from the Industry Partner in the Research Project
• Letter from the Industry Partner (on the company’s letterhead) on the research problem and the future plans for implementation, if any
• Publications
• Research Synopsis
• Any other document, as required

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the “Prime Minister’s Fellowship for Doctoral Research”?
A: Prime Minister's Fellowship for Doctoral Research scheme is a prestigious initiative of Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India towards the advancement of university research engagements in line with industry requirement. The scheme encourages full time PhD scholars to pursue research in "focus areas" identified by industries as well as of national priorities.

Q: What is the aim of this scheme?
A: The aim of the scheme is to encourage and inspire promising young Indian Ph.D. researchers to pursue industry relevant research in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture & Medicine, build industry academia partnership for advancing R&D and boost research on industrially relevant subject areas.

Q: What are the Key Features of the Fellowship?
A: In addition to attractive scholarship, the Prime Minister's Fellowship emphasizes providing a unique and invigorating experience to selected fellows. It ensures the best national and international exposure for them and provides mentoring through industry and academic experts through the mechanism of annual review meetings. In addition, periodic mentorship sessions are also organized with the help of expert external agencies.

Q: Which is the implementing agency of this scheme?
A: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on behalf of SERB implement the scheme.

Q: What are the eligibility criteria for applying/availing the Fellowship?
A: The applicant should be a full-time PhD scholar in any recognized Indian university/institute/research laboratory. The scholar's PhD registration date should not be more than 14 months from the date of submission of application.
The applicant should have a valid industry partner who should be ready to support the research project financially as well as provide guidance and mentorship.
The mutually agreed topic of research, between the applicant and the supporting company, should be innovative, have practical relevance, and have industrial application.
The selected applicant should be willing to work with/in the supporting company as and when required during the project period.
The applicant should not draw any other fellowship after the selection.

Q: What are the areas covered under this Fellowship?
A: Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine

Q: What is the nature of support for the Fellow?
A: Under this scheme, fulltime PhD scholars get double the JRF/SRF fellowship amount, as scholarship.

Q: What are the Selection Parameters of the projects under the scheme?
A: The projects should be innovative and of high scientific merit; with discrete R&D as opposed to exploratory investigation.
The proposed research project should have a high commercialization potential.
The applicant, the academic guide, and the industry mentor should have a strong track record.

Q: How can an applicant apply for this fellowship?
A: The applicant can apply for this fellowship through the website www.primeministerfellowshipscheme.in.

Q: How does the online application work?
A: Candidates need to refer to Annexure I in the Call for Proposal document which is available on the home page of the portal www.primeministerfellowshipscheme.in. All the required documents and details needed to be given should be collected before filling the online application.

Q: What is the timeline till which the application can be submitted? Will an additional hard copy, stamped / signed of the application required to be sent to CII?
A: The scheme is open-ended and the scholars can apply anytime during the year subject to the condition that the doctoral fellow should be admitted to a full-time PhD in the last 14 months from the date of submission of application in any recognized Indian university/institute/research laboratory. In case of a different admission/enrollment and registration date, the first date of admission in full-time PhD will be considered. In case of any dispute regarding the submission date, the decision of the Apex Council will be considered as final. No hard copies of any kind need to be sent to CII; only soft copies are required to be uploaded as indicated in the form.

Q: Can I apply if I do not have an industry partner? Will CII help in finding one?
A: Applications without industry partners will not be accepted by the online system. Candidates have to find industry partners on their own. CII facilitates match-making between research scholars and industry through the portal www.primeministerfellowshipscheme.in. All those who want to search for industry partners are requested to register themselves on this portal. Registration on this portal, however, will not guarantee that the candidate will find an industry partner. The relevance of their project for industry and the extent to which the candidate is able to convey their capability to the industry will determine whether they will find industry partners or not. The interested companies can evaluate the profile and contact the applicants if they find the proposal relevant.

Q: How can I find relevant industry partners?
A: Candidates should talk to their research guides at the institute and find out about the relevant companies in that field. They can do their own research in and around them to find out the right companies and approach them. Candidates should also keep themselves abreast with the latest technologies, trends and companies working in their field. They should try to interact with industry people in their field as frequently as possible to trigger idea thrashing about a particular project.

Q: If an applicant submits the form, can it be submitted again?
A: Candidates can review and re-review their forms any number of times before uploading them finally. Once uploaded, however, the form cannot be submitted again.

Q: If I apply this year and am not able to get the scholarship this time, will I be allowed to apply next year?
A: Yes, you can apply as a fresh candidate with updated information, provided you satisfy all the eligibility conditions.

Q: Will applicants get automated response to submission? Will somebody call from CII to confirm the receipt of application?
A: Applicants will get an automatic response at the submission of applications. They will not receive any calls from CII. In case you do not receive a system generated email regarding the submission of their application within 24 hours, the applicant must contact CII at [email protected]

Q: Which are the institutes where PM Fellows are doing their research?
A: Following are some of the institutes where PM Fellows are pursuing their PhD: Acharya Nagarjuna University, Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, Alagappa University, Amity University, Anna University, Banaras Hindu University, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Institute of Chemical Technology, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institutes of Technology, IIT Bombay - Monash University Research Academy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Manipal University, National Chemical Laboratory, National Institutes of Technology, PSG College, Punjab Agricultural University, Saurashtra University, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tata Memorial Hospital, Thiagarajar College of Engineering and Kurukshetra University.