New Delhi: The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) is aimed to identify motivated young researchers and provide them support for doing research in frontier areas of science and engineering. The fellows will work under a mentor, and it is hoped that this training will provide them a platform to develop as an independent researcher. N-PDF now invites research proposals from young scholars in research areas: Science, Engineering and Medicine. Science and Engineering Research Board is a statutory Body Established through an Act of Parliament: SERB Act 2008, Government of India.
Eligibility: The applicant should be an Indian citizen. As per the admission notification by SERB, the applicant should hold Ph.D. degree in Science or Engineering or M.D or M.S degree in any area of medicine. The candidate must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University, not before two years from the date of application. Those who have submitted their PhD/M.D/M.S thesis and are awaiting award of the degree are also eligible to apply. However, such candidates, if selected, will be offered lower fellowship amount till they are awarded the eligible degree.
The upper age limit for the fellowship is 35 years at the time of the submission of application. Age relaxation of 5 (five) years will be given to candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC/Physically Challenged & Women candidates.
Eligible researchers can submit the proposals till 31 October 2016 via online while the submission of application has opened from 1 October 2016. The fellowship is purely a temporary assignment, and is tenable initially for a period of 2 years. In exceptional cases, depending on the progress of research, the fellowship can be extended for one more year. There is no provision to extend the tenure beyond three.
The fellows will be entitled to receive the Fellowship of Rs. 55,000/- per month (consolidated) and Rs. 35,000/ p.m for candidates who have submitted the thesis but degree not awarded. They are also entitled a Research Grant Rs. 2,00,000/- per annum and Overheads of Rs. 1,00,000/- per annum.
Research grant can be used for purchasing minor equipments, consumables, national travel and contingencies. There is no provision for providing manpower under this scheme. The Fellow is expected to undertake research himself/herself during the entire duration of the fellowship.
Nature & Duration of Support: The fellowship is tenable only in India and can be implemented in any of the recognized academic institutions, national laboratories and other recognized R & D institutions. The host institution should provide necessary administrative and infrastructural support. The fellowship is normally not availed at the same institution where the candidates have earned their PhD/M.S/M.D degree or with the doctoral thesis supervisor or continue on doctoral thesis work.
The interested candidates should visit the official website of SERB: www.serbonline.in and www.serb.gov.in for online submission of application and other details. Applicants should first register into the online website. After log-in, applicants are required to fill all the mandatory fields in Profile Detail section under User Profile, which includes Bio-data, Photo, Institute Address, etc.
Further, the application form along with a research proposal highlighting the objectives of the research work to be undertaken should be submitted online through the website www.serbonline.in. The applicant must identify a suitable Mentor under whom the proposed research would be carried out.
SERB informed that the selection will be based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee that will be constituted by the Board. If required, the applicants may be called for personal interview.
As per the official notification of SERB PDFs, selected candidates are entitled to leave as per rules of the host institution. Participation in scientific workshops held in India or abroad will be treated as on duty. Maternity leave as per the Govt. of India instructions issued from time to time would be available to female candidates in all categories.
