CSIR'S JUNIOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP (JRF) - GATE
1. GENERAL
a) The EMR Division under HRD Group of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) provide CSIR Research Fellowships and Associateships to bright young men and women for training in methods of research under the expert guidance of faculty members/scientists working in University Departments/Institutes of National Importance/National Laboratories and Institutes of CSIR in various fields of Science & Technology and Medical Sciences. List of CSIR Laboratories is at Annexure-I.
b) The CSIR JRF-GATE fellowships are tenable only in CSIR and its laboratories.
c) The CSIR Fellowships / Associatships are tenable in India. Only bonafide Indian citizens, residing in India are eligible for the award of research Fellowship/Associateships. The programme is aimed at National Human Resource Development for S&T.
d) The award of CSIR Fellowship / Associateships is for fixed tenure and does not imply any assurance or guarantee for subsequent employment by CSIR to the beneficiary. The authority to award / terminate vests with CSIR. The awardee shall not lay claim to permanent absorption in CSIR, after the expiry of Fellowship / Associateship.
2. OBJECTIVE
To promote academic excellence in CSIR labs and to generate high level science, the scheme is aimed at GATE qualified engineering graduates and GPAT qualified pharmaceutical graduates to pursue research through a suitable PhD programme in AcSIR or in any other institution. These fellowships are tenable only at CSIR laboratories and JRFs selected under this scheme will have excellent opportunity to work with CSIR Scientists with state-of-art R&D facilities.
3. ELIGIBILITY
BE/B. Tech degree holders in engineering discipline with valid GATE score
Or
Candidates with B.Pharm degree and having qualified GPAT
Or
Candidates with B.Tech in Biotechnology with valid GATE score and subject to securing a minimum 85.00 percentile in GATE.
WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE
Candidates with ME/M. Tech degree;
All those eligible for direct CSIR-SRF-Direct are not eligible to apply for JRF GATE.
4. AGE LIMIT
The upper age limit for JRF shall be 28 years which is relaxable upto 5 years in case of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, women and physically handicapped applicants and 3 years in case of OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates.
The total duration of fellowship is five years within which the candidate is expected to complete the PhD degree.
5. SELECTION PROCEDURE
a) Selection of JRF-GATE will be done by CSIR laboratories by following selection procedure guidelines of advertising and interview by Committee duly constituted by the Director. The recommendations duly approved by Director are to be forwarded to Head, HRDG, along with all necessary supporting documents (viz. copy of the notification, GATE/GPAT scorecard, selection proceedings, biodata of the selected candidate(s), mark sheets, DoB certificate, Caste certificate, etc.). A formal award letter will be issued by CSIR-HRDG after scrutinizing and verifying the relevant documents.
b) Each CSIR laboratory participating in Integrated M.Tech.-PhD programme of AcSIR may award a maximum of 5 (five) fellowships under CSIR JRF-GATE Scheme. The CSIR laboratories participating in Integrated MTech-PhD programme as per the data provided by AcSIR are as follows:
| Sno | CSIR Laboratory | Sno | CSIR Laboratory |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | CBRI | 10 | IIP |
2 | CECRI | 11 | IMMT |
3 | CEERI | 12 | NAL |
4 | CGCRI | 13 | NCL |
5 | CIMFR | 14 | NEERI |
6 | CMERI | 15 | NML |
7 | CRRI | 16 | NPL |
8 | CSIO | 17 | SERC |
9 | IICT |
| |
Rest of the CSIR laboratories may award a maximum of 2 (two) JRF-GATE fellowships each year.
c) The number of JRF-GATE fellowships awarded will not exceed 120 in a year. If the number of JRF-GATE fellowships awarded in a year is less than 120, the remaining fellowships may be passed on to other laboratories during the next year with the approval of DG, CSIR based on their requirement and request.
d) No candidate should be offered fellowship under JRF-GATE scheme without prior approval from HRDG (CSIR).
e) JRF-GATE fellowship scheme is tenable only in CSIR laboratories. Students awarded JRF-GATE fellowship can get register for PhD in any institution including AcSIR. GATE qualified engineering graduates who wants to pursue Integrated MTech-PhD programme will be registered in AcSIR only. As the JRF-GATE fellowship is awarded for pursuing PhD and therefore there will be no automatic exit after M.Tech.
6. RESERVATION
Existing reservation guidelines of Government of India for direct recruitment on all India basis by open competition should strictly be followed. Each laboratory would maintain records with regard to reservation (e.g. for 25 JRF-GATE in a 5 year tenure, the distribution is as follows: UR-15, OBC-6, SC-3, ST-1 & PWD horizontal).
7. STIPEND & TENURE
a) The stipend of a JRF-GATE will be Rs 31,000/ p.m for the first two years. In addition, annual contingent grant of Rs. 20,000/-per fellow will be provided to the University / Institution. The guidelines for utilization of contingent grant are given in Annexure–II .
A Research Fellow who joins on the first day of the month, his/her tenure will be completed on the last day of the previous month. In other cases the tenure will be completed on the last day of the same month of joining the Fellowship.
b) SRF-GATE: On Completion of two years as JRF-GATE, the fellowship will be upgraded to SRF (GATE) and the stipend will be increased to Rs. 35,000/- p.m for the 3rd and subsequent years, on the basis of assessment of Fellows’ research progress/ achievements through interview by an Expert Committee consisting of the Guide, Head of the Department and External Member from outside the Institution who is an expert in the relevant field, not below the rank of Professor/ Associate Professor. As far as possible the External Member should be the chairman of three members Committee. Where the guide happens to be the Head of the Department, the Dean, Faculty of Science or any senior member of the Department may be associated as the third member of the Committee (Annexure-III) and (Annexure-IV). In the event of the Committee not recommending upgradation the fellow will continue as JRF with a stipend of Rs 31,000/- p.m for the 3rd year or his/her fellowship may be terminated depending upon the recommendation of the Committee and the decision of CSIR in this regard will be final. The progress of research work of JRF-GATE will be assessed by duly constituted three member assessment committee again at the end of 3rd year for such upgradation.
It is expected that Fellows will have published work to their credit by the end of 3rd year. This shall form an important quantitative and qualitative criterion for judging the progress made by the candidate. If the work of JRF is still not found satisfactory for upgradation by the Committee, the fellowship will be terminated. Further, if the progress is not satisfactory on completion of any sanctioned tenure, the fellowship will be terminated. Extension of tenure for the 4th year of SRF-GATE will be on the basis of the progress report (Annexure-IV) and recommendation of the guide. The 5th year extension as SRF-GATE is permissible on the recommendation of a three member assessment Committee and progress report duly supported by publications in the form of reprints/preprints/manuscripts of the paper published, accepted or communicated for publication (Annexure-IV) and (Annexure-V). Noncompliance of CSIR norms for submission of annual progress report along with other requisite documents within six months after completion of yearly tenure may result in termination of fellowship/associateship.
>The total tenure as JRF plus SRF will not exceed five years. This will include the tenure of Fellowship awarded by UGC/DST/DBT/ICMR/ICAR etc or any other funding agency/Institution. The order for continuation at the same rate of stipend as SRF(GATE), continuation at the same rate of stipend as JRF or otherwise will be issued by the EMR Division of HRDG, CSIR. Extension may not also be granted if the fellow does not acknowledge the support of CSIR in his/her research publication(s).
8. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
a) AWARD OF FELLOWSHIP AND RELEASE OF GRANTS
The Fellowship will be awarded to the selected applicants by a formal letter giving details of the grant and the conditions governing it, under intimation to the Institution, which forwarded their applications. The fellowship grant money is payable on monthly basis through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode whereas the annual contingency will be paid to the host institute of the research fellow (Annexure-VIa for Annual Contingency) and (Annexure-VIb for monthly Fellowship) duly signed by the Finance Officer/Registrar/Head of the Institution.
The first payment (fellowship stipend) will be made after the receipt of the joining report of the fellow along with other necessary documents (such as Birth Certificate, Caste Certificate, Graduate & Postgraduate Mark sheets, Integrated-PhD/PhD enrolment/registration, JRF-GATE/GPAT Certificate etc.) through the Guide duly forwarded by the Director of the institute in whose favour the contingency grant is to be released. Subsequent monthly stipend will be made on receipt of duly signed bills (Annexure-VIb)along with the attendance records. The annual contingency payments will be made only after receipt of (a) the progress report of the Research Fellow in the prescribed proforma (Annexure-IV) for the period ending 31 March and previous one year report, (b) utilization certificate (Annexure-VII), and statement of receipt and payment (statement of accounts) (Annexure-VIII) incurred during the financial year ending 31 March, along with the claim bill for the next financial year from the concerned institution. The unspent amount of earlier payments and Interest Earned by Institutions/Universities on Grants released by CSIR for fellowships has to be refunded to CSIR at the end of a financial year or has to be adjusted while submitting/making the fresh claims for payment. The accounts should be maintained on ledger type system by the grantee Institution for the Research Fellow (Annexure-IX). The university/Institution shall be responsible for proper utilization of grant and for rendering the account to the CSIR-HRD Group.
b) CONTINGENCY GRANT
An annual contingent grant of Rs.20,000/- per fellow is provided to the Institution. For less than one year, the contingent grant will be admissible on pro-rata basis. Part of this grant may be utilized in the interest of research work, purchase of books, etc. The unspent balance of contingency grant at the end of a year may be carried forward to the next year, however, the next release of contingency grant will be subject to adjustment of unspent balance of contingency grant of the previous year thereby restricting contingency expenditure to a maximum of Rs 20,000/- in a year. Further, request (claim) for release of contingency grant of the previous financial year(s) will not be entertained. The guidelines for utilization of the contingent grant are given in Annexure–II. The CSIR Research Fellows will be given Rs.3,000/- (lump sum) extra on submission of PhD thesis in e-form. For details, Head, CSIR’s Unit for R&D of Information Products (URDIP), ‘JOPASANA’, 85/1, Paud Road (Near Vanaz Engineering Company), Kothrud, Pune -411 038, Maharashtra, may be contacted. The website address of URDIP is www.urdip.res.in.
The University/Institution has to submit the consolidated Utilization Certificate (Annexure-VII) and Statement of Expenditure (Annexure-VIII) at the end of each Financial Year failing which grant-in-aid payable for next year will not be released.
9. PROGRESS REPORT
The preparation of annual progress report on the research work done shall be essential part of the Fellow’s work. Each Research Fellow shall submit his/her annual research report in the prescribed proforma (Annexure-IV) within a period of 15 days after completion of one year tenure to CSIR (HRD Group) through his/her Guide/Head of the Department. It is essential to give up to-date and full information against all the columns of Annexure-IV. The results should be presented quantitatively in Tables/Figures and discussed in terms of the objectives and conclusions drawn should also be given. Fragmentary reports shall not be entertained. The progress report should be always accompanied by copies of published papers, re-prints and pre-prints of papers accepted for publication, manuscripts of papers communicated for publication duly acknowledging financial assistance of CSIR. Noncompliance of CSIR norms for submission of annual progress report along with other requisite documents within six months after completion of yearly tenure may result in termination of fellowship/associateship. Attendance record must accompany the annual report. The Guide/Head of Department shall bring out in his/her assessment report the share of originality and initiative of the fellow in carrying out the research work. If thesis is submitted for higher degree, this may be reported by the guide of the department to CSIR and the result when announced.
10. PUBLICATION/PATENT
a) Publication: The results of Fellow's research work may be published in standard refereed journals at the discretion of the Guide. IT SHOULD BE ENSURED THAT THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY CSIR is ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGED IN ALL SUCH PUBLICATIONS. One copy of the published research papers should be sent to CSIR.
b) Patent: The commercial exploitation of the results and ownership of patent rights pertaining to investigations concerning the intellectual work of the CSIR research fellows/associates will be as follows: (i) Public funded educational/research institution, to which a fellow is associated, may seek patent right at their own cost and/or commercial exploitation of the results of the investigation concerning the Intellectual work of the fellow and all rights would vest exclusively with the Institution concerned. All matters concerning ownership of IP and its licensing/exploitation would be governed by the IP policy of the concerned institutions. (ii) In case an institution, to which a fellow is associated, is not in a position to seek patent rights and/or commercial exploitation of the results of the investigation concerning the intellectual work of the fellow, CSIR at its own cost may seek the patent rights and/or commercial exploitation of the results of the intellectual work of the fellow and all rights would vest exclusively with CSIR. (Issued vide CSIR OM NO. F.No. 6/IPR/2011/EMR-I dated 29th July 2011).
11.OBLIGATIONS OF RESEARCH FELLOW
a) He/She has to be a full time researcher and submit himself/herself to the disciplinary regulations of the University/ Institute/ Laboratory where he/she is working. Regular attendance of the fellow may be ensured by the department by keeping an attendance register.
b) In case a fellow decides to appear for competitive examination, he/she would invariably seek permission from the guide and inform CSIR about it.
c) The Research Fellow is not to take any assignment other than related to his/her approved research programme, paid or unpaid. However, if required, the fellow may assist the host institute in its academic work/other activities, as per guidelines of its PhD programme, provided such assignments should not hamper the progress of research work of the fellow.
d) Once a Research Fellow accepts the Fellowship and joins, it is incumbent on him/her to continue the research for the normal tenure of the fellowship or for such lesser duration in which the original objectives of the research problem have been achieved.
e) No Fellow shall discontinue his/her Fellowship without prior approval of CSIR. In case he/she wishes to discontinue the fellowship prior to completion of the tenure on attainment of original objectives of research, he/she must submit the resignation to CSIR through the Guide one month in advance, indicating specific reasons for not continuing the Fellowship. The Fellowship shall cease from the date stipulated in the CSIR letter approving the resignation.
f) The research Fellow must send a detailed consolidated report of the research work done during the entire period of Fellowship on completion of the tenure/resignation of the Fellowship through the Guide to CSIR, in the prescribed proforma (Annexure-X), within one month.
g) During the tenure of the Fellowship, the Fellow shall correspond with CSIR only through the Guide with the approval of the Head of the Institution.
h) The Research Fellow shall keep CSIR informed about his/her getting the higher degree, submission of thesis for Ph.D., MD, MDS, MS, MPhil, ME etc. and submission/acceptance/publication of any research paper arising out of the research work done during the tenure of the fellowship. He/She must acknowledge the support of CSIR in the publication(s). One copy each of all the research papers published must be sent to CSIR at each stage of publication/ manuscript/reprint.
12.TEMPORARY TEACHING & RESEARCH JOB
A Research Fellow on the recommendation of Guide, and provided that his/her University/ Institute has no objection, may be permitted by CSIR to take up temporary paid lectureship/research job in a recognized R&D Institution/University, College/Institute of repute/Recognized R & D Institution/ PDF studies in India & abroad for a period not exceeding one year during the entire tenure of the Fellowship (JRF & SRF together). The Research Fellow will not be entitled to any extension of the Fellowship for such periods. The Fellow will not be entitled to stipend and contingency grant during such leave. Such leave period will be counted in the tenure. Such leave can be taken only after joining and working as Research Scholar at least for one year. Fellow has to report for duty at the same place from where he proceeded on leave.
13.LEAVE
a) Leave with stipend not exceeding 30 days for each completed year of tenure may be allowed by the Guide after the request has been communicated to CSIR. The leave will be treated as part of the Fellow’s tenure. The leave due can be carried over to the next year, however not more than 90 days can be accumulated at any time during the tenure. Of this not more than 30 days can be availed in a calendar year with stipend and beyond that any leave will be treated as “Leave Without Stipend”. During the first year of Fellowship or any uncompleted year, leave may be granted on pro-rata basis. Sanction of leave without stipend may be considered by CSIR under special circumstances. In case a Fellow proceeds on leave before expiry of Fellowship tenure, he/she must join back before the expiry of tenure; failing which the tenure will be deemed to have terminated with effect from the date he/she proceeded on leave. The fact of joining back from leave should be communicated to CSIR immediately. As the CSIR releases the grant in advance, therefore, the amount on account of “Leave Without Stipend” has to be refunded to CSIR at the end of a financial year or adjusted against the fresh claim, if any.
b) The Guide can grant leave to a Fellow in his/her charge with the concurrence of the Head of the Institution/Department if the leave is due as prescribed in para (13a) above. If leave is not due, such cases will be decided by CSIR only. The Fellow should not be allowed to proceed on leave to visit abroad for attending conferences/seminars etc. without prior approval of the CSIR well in advance. The entire duration of such foreign visits if funded by any national/international agency, whether partially or fully, would be treated as leave without stipend.
c) Women Fellows with less than two surviving children are entitled to full stipend plus HRA, during the period of absence upto 180 days on grounds of maternity. Such leave shall be sanctioned by the Guide under intimation to CSIR. The Fellowship amount for leave period will be paid after the fellow resumes duty and submits a medical certificate in support of actual confinement. It is expected that the Fellow will make up for the research work during the remaining tenure.
d) Male Fellows of CSIR with less than two surviving children are entitled for 15 days paternity leave during confinement of his wife on submission of relevant documentary proof.
14.TRANSFER OF FELLOWSHIP
The fellow should carefully choose the host institution, guide/supervisor, availability of necessary infrastructural and other research facilities etc. to carry out his/her research before joining. Request for transfer of fellowship will not be entertained except on compelling circumstances for which the fellow & his/her guide should submit proper justification. The No Objection Certificate should be produced by the Fellow/ Associate from supervisor and Head of Department of University/Institute from where transfer is sought and consent of the Guide/Host Institute where Fellowships is sought to be transferred by giving reasons of transfer. No fellow will be allowed to join another institute without seeking prior approval from CSIR for "transfer of fellowship" and if he/she joins elsewhere without approval of CSIR, his/her fellowship will be terminated. Fellowship/Associateship will stand terminated from the date of resignation. Further, no transfers will be allowed in the last six months of the tenure of fellowships & also after submission of Ph.D. thesis.
15.TERMINATION OF FELLOWSHIP
a) Fellowship will be terminated from the date of viva-voce of PhD or on completion of fellowship tenure, whichever is earlier. The fellowship shall also stand terminated from the date the Fellow resigns and his/her resignation has been accepted by CSIR. The Fellowship may be terminated by the CSIR on the recommendation of the Supervisor and Head of the Department/Institution. The fellowship may also be terminated if the institution where it is tenable, refuses to continue to provide facilities to the fellow on disciplinary grounds and so informs CSIR.
b) If a fellow leaves without permission, stipend due at any time shall not be paid to him/her by the Institution, till all University and other dues are cleared and certified by the University/Institution. Responsibility in such cases shall be that of the University/Institution concerned.
c) The unspent balance of grant lying with the Institution at any time due to termination /resignation/transfer of fellowship of a Fellow/Leave sanctioned without stipend/interest earned on grants released by CSIR must be refunded to CSIR immediately by means of a demand draft in favor of Deputy Secretary, EMR, CSIR Complex, New Delhi.
d) Research Fellows must settle their claims within one year of leaving the Fellowship. No claim will be admitted by CSIR after one year of leaving the Fellowship.
16.ACCOMMODATION / HRA
All Research Fellows may be allowed hostel accommodation wherever available and those residing in hostel provided by University/Institute will not be eligible for HRA. Reimbursement of hostel fee is not permissible. Where this is not possible, house rent allowance will be allowed as per the rules of the host institutions. In no case it should exceed the rates payable to Central Government Employees in that area. The basis for calculating HRA will be the actual stipend of the Research Fellow. The concerned institution will send HRA claim bill, in triplicate separately in respect of the Fellows who fulfill the requisite conditions of the host institution.
17.MEDICAL BENEFITS
a) Further, all Research Fellows may be provided medical facility as per Central /State Government Medical norms. This will be limited to the fellow only and not for his/her family members/dependents.
b) The host institute may get the fellows/associates medically examined at the time of joining or thereafter.
18.DELEGATION OF POWERS TO DIRECTORS
The Director of CSIR laboratory/Institute is empowered to upgrade the JRF to SRF and extend the tenure of SRF and RA after following the prescribed procedure and eligibility. The order is to be issued by the laboratory and only a copy of the order is required to be sent to Head, HRDG for monitoring. Director is also empowered to sanction leave (without stipend also), accept resignation etc. under intimation to HRDG. This will apply in case of those Fellows/Associates who are awarded Fellowship/Associateship by HRD Group of CSIR. Director is also empowered to sanction leave without stipend to fellow/associate proceedings abroad upto the period of one year only under intimation to HEAD, HRDG. Director of CSIR Laboratory/Institute is also empowered to change the guide of a research fellow/associate under intimation to HRDG.
19.OTHER TERMS & CONDITIONS
The host institution will timely submit (within one month) of the following statement/documents to CSIR.
a) Consolidated list of research fellows/associates working/terminated/ transferred/ resigned in the particular year with their date of termination/transfer/resignation of fellowship/associateship.
b) Year-wise information with respect to the PhD degrees awarded to CSIR Research Fellows (JRF/SRF)/PhD theses submitted by CSIR Research Fellows (JRF/SRF).
c) Consolidated utilization certificate (Annexure-VII) in respect of all the fellows during the financial year in question.
d) Statement of Receipt & Expenditure (Annexure-VIII) of CSIR grants head-wise and year-wise. Audited statement by statutory auditors or government auditors may be sent later on.
e) Details of refunds of unspent balance of terminated Fellowships/Associateships, transferred Fellowships/ Associateships, scholars who resigned during the year/Leave sanctioned to fellow(s) without Stipend and the Interest Earned on Grants released by CSIR along with cheque/draft number, date & issuing bank branch etc.
f) CSIR may send whenever considered necessary its officers for reviewing the work of the fellows and Associates, inspection of accounts, attendance, etc, in Universities/Institutes where the Research Fellows/Associates are placed.
g) Any kind of paid or honorary, part-or-full-time employment or private practice even in honorary capacity is not permissible during the tenure of Fellowship/Associateship.
The stipend of research fellow/associate is exempt from the payment of income tax under 10(16) of IT Act.
These terms and conditions supersede all previous instructions issued in regard to JRF/SRF/RA. However, any relaxation would require approval of DG, CSIR. In all matters decision taken by CSIR shall be final.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO BE NOTED
JRF-GATE are not to be deployed in any sponsored project.
CSIR reserves the right to modify any of the conditions/guidelines mentioned above any time.
