Ramanujan Fellowship

The Ramanujan Fellowship is meant for brilliant Indian scientists and engineers from all over the world to take up scientific positions in India and for those Indian scientists who want to return to India from abroad. The Fellowship is scientist-specific and very selective.

Individual Scientists and Technologists working abroad should approach the Institutions of his/her choice for hosting them for the fellowship. The nominee will then fill out his application through the serb online portal serbonline.in and submit it to his nominator who will verify the application and then submit the nomination to SERB through online portal only.

All Areas of Science (in the broadest terms) are covered by this Fellowship.

The Ramanujan Fellows can work in any of the scientific institutions and universities in the country other than the institute where he/she has obtained his/her doctorate degree.

Yes, Ramanujan fellows are eligible to apply for Core Research grant proposal.

Following are the eligibility criteria for applying Ramanujan Fellowship: The fellowship is open to brilliant Indian scientists and engineers from all over the world who are below the age of 40 years, who wants to return to India from abroad. The applicant should possess a higher degree or equivalent, such as Ph.D. in Science/Engineering, Masters in Engineering or Technology/MD in Medicine, etc. and have adequate professional experience. These Fellowships are very selective and only those who have a proven/outstanding track-record as evident from their research publications and recognitions would be eligible. In case a fellow is offered a permanent position, he/she will be in-eligible for the fellowship. This fellowship is meant for working in new areas and laboratories in order to expand their research capabilities, other than the one, where the candidate has obtained his/her doctorate degree. Nominations from the Ph.D guides of the candidate and nominations from the same institute where they opted their Ph.D, will not be considered. The age of the candidate should not be more than 40 years. The candidate should be working abroad at the time of his nomination for the fellowship.

The Ramanujan Fellowship duration is for 5 years only.

A letter is sent by the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) to the Individual as well as to the host Institute informing the award of Ramanujan Fellowship. After this the Individual has to join the fellowship within six months of the date of approval letter and to send his / her Acceptance Letter to the Host Institute, indicating the tentative month when he wants to start the Fellowship, and then the Institute will forward his Acceptance Letter to Science &Engineering Research Board along with the details of the bank for transfer of fund through RTGS(in the prescribed format). Based on this letter SERB will process the case for getting administrative and financial approvals and then a Sanction Order is issued to the Host Institute (marking a copy to the Ramanujan Fellow) and a copy to the Drawing and Disbursing Officer, SERB for disbursing the grant under Ramanujan Fellowship. When the grant money is received by the Host Institute, the Ramanujan Fellow can start his/ her Fellowship.

For Fellows who will be availing the Ramanujan fellowship after 31.12.2018, the revised funding pattern of Ramanujan fellows is as follows: Ramanujan Fellow is entitled for a Fellowship of [?]1,35,000/- consolidated per month(including HRA component) The fellowship will carry a research grant of [?]7.00 Lakh per annum. and overhead charges of [?]60,000/- to the host institute until the fellow is not having any position in India. In case the selected fellow gets any position such as permanent, tenure track or contractual position, he/she, will become in-eligible for receiving fellowship including research grant and overhead under the fellowship and has to relinquish the Ramanujan fellowship in total. For fellows who have already started availing this fellowship on or before 31.12.2018,(viz. sanction order of SERB issued on or before 31.12.2018) such fellows on acquiring a job(permanent, tenure track or contractual position) will be allowed to draw the research grant and overhead charges as indicated at (ii) above. Only the fellowship component will be discontinued as indicated by (i) above.

SERB gives only consolidated fellowship of [?]1,35,000/- p.m (including HRA component) per month.

No, A person can opt either to avail his/ her salary from the Institute or Fellowship amount under Ramanujan Fellowship and it is applicable to the fellows those who have started the fellowship on or before 31.12.2018(after the issuance of the sanction order on or before 31.12.2018 as per terms and conditions of latest O.M. dated 01-01-2019). Fellows who get a permanent position after 31.12.2018 (issuance of sanction order happened after 31.12.2018), will relinquish the Ramanujan fellowship in total in case they get salary from institute on getting permanent, tenure track or on contractual basis.

1. Yes, in case the Ramanujan fellow who is availing fellowship (first sanction order issued on or before 31.12.2018), such fellows on acquiring a permanent job at other institute, will be allowed to transfer the fellowship and he can draw only research grant and overhead charges. The fellow should intimate to SERB about his permanent position immediately subsequently he can request for approval for change of host institute at a new institute within one month of shifting to new institute by submitting NOCs from both institution and appointment letter with detailed terms of references/conditions and the F.Y papers till the last date of working at earlier institute. The same is applicable for those fellows who want to transfer their fellowship to other Institute but without getting a permanent position. 2. However, if a Ramanujan Fellow who is availing the fellowship (first sanction order issued after 31.12.2018), gets a permanent, tenure track or contractual position at other institute, then he/she will become in-eligible to receive the Ramanujan grant in total (as per the terms and conditions in the latest O.M. dated 01-01-2019) subject to final settlement and closure of the fellowship which is the mandatory requirement of this fellowship.

A person can avail one International Travel per year under Ramanujan Fellowship.

The Grant for the subsequent year are released only after receiving the Statement of Expenditure (SE) and Utilization Certificate (UC) in the prescribed format (available in the website). The SE and UC are financial year wise i.e. from 01st April to 31st March. For the first year it would be from the Date of Start (DOS) to 31st March and subsequently from 01st April to 31st March. In addition, a work report of for that FY is also required.

The project staff can be paid as per the SERB order issued time to time. Latest orders are available at SERB website.

No, Ramanujan Fellowship is meant for reverse brain drain i.e. inviting brilliant Indian scientists and engineers who want to return to India from abroad to take up scientific positions in India.

The selected candidates must join their host institute within 6 months from the issue of the Ramanujan Fellowship Award letter, else the award will be cancelled automatically.

No, Institute can nominate Indian scientist for Ramanujan Fellowship only from outside India, having no position or employment in India.

1. Candidate can choose to work at any S&T institution including University/ department or other academic institutions and national R&D laboratories in India other than the institute where he/she obtained his/her doctorate degree, provided the institution where they wish to pursue research is willing to provide the necessary R&D, administrative and basic infrastructural support to facilitate research. 2. The application has to be filled by the nominee through the serb online portal serbonline.in and then submit it to his nominator of the host Institution who should be the head of organisation/ university/ institute or an authorized academic personnel of the institute/organisation/university. The nominator will then verify the application and then submit the nomination to SERB though online portal only. 3. Selection will be made by Selection Committee specially appointed for the purpose.

1. SERB would release fellowship grant of [?]1,35,000/- per month(including HRA component) per month and Research grant of [?]7,00,000/- p.a and overheads of [?]60,000/- p.a. financial year wise, limited only to 60 months from the date of commencement. 2. Grant for subsequent years would be released based on the scientific review of the work done, submission of SE & UC and annual progress report. 3. During the tenure of the fellowship the awardee is not entitled to any kind of salary. However, he/she can apply for research grant to various funding agencies through their host institute. The information on the details of projects applied/sanctioned by the agencies may be made available to SERB from time-to-time. 4. SERB may be kept informed about IPR issues and technology/product/process developed/commercialized, if any, during the tenure of the fellowship. 5. SERB reserves the right to discontinue this fellowship at any stage and change the terms & conditions of the fellowship.

The SERB recommended Ramanujan fellow is equivalent to Scientist-D for the TA/DA etc.

SERB encourages Ramanujan fellow to get guideship at their respective host institute based on the applicant research experience, so then they can supervise M.Phil/Ph.D scholars which will help them in their academic career development.