New India, 03 February 2021: The Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme, India’s highest paid fellowship, is open for registration for December 2020 cycle. The institutes which can offer PMRF include all the IITs, all the IISERs, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and some of the top Central Universities/NITs that offer science and/or technology degrees.
The candidates will be selected through a rigorous selection process and their performance will be reviewed suitably through a national convention. Starting Academic Year 2020-21, candidates can apply for PMRF through either of these two channels: Direct Entry Channel; Lateral Entry Channel.
There is no a central portal where one can apply for Direct Entry. The eligible candidates have to go through one of the PMRF Granting Institution and get admission in the PhD programme. If selected, and one is found strong enough, the institute will nominate the said candidates. Nomination does not guarantee PMRF. After nomination, an expert panel of the Apex Committee of PMRF will look at the nominations and make decisions.
There is no separate deadline. You need to look at the deadlines for applying to the regular PhD programme in the PMRF Granting Institutions.
In case of PMRF Lateral Entry, one needs to be a PhD student in one of the PMRF granting institutions, and then get nominated by the institution. One needs to be nominated within 12 months of joining the PhD programme if he/she had joined after Masters degree. If one had joined the PhD programme after Bachelors degree, he/she needs to apply within 24 months.
Deadline: The selection committee receives nominations only through PMRF granting institutes. The deadline for receiving this nomination (not from candidates, but from the institutions) is 1 March 2021.
Selection Process: For both direct entry and lateral entry, one of the PMRF Granting Institute needs to nominate a candidate. Then a central discipline specific selection panel will look at your application and make decisions.
There are 38 PMRF Granting Institutes including many IITs, NITs, Central Universities and IISERs.
For further details about eligibility conditions, how to apply and other details, the candidates should refer the official website of PMRF December 2021.
