New India: The Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme, India’s highest paid fellowship, is open for registration for May 2020. 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.
Given the exceptional circumstances, there may be several rounds of selections this year. The first nomination deadline will be sometime in August. All PMRF Granting Institutions will be notified.
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.
Many PMRF Granting Institutes have already opened application portal for PMRF 2May 2020. These include IIT Roorkee, IIT Mandi, IIT Jammu, IIT Delhi, and others.
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 May 2020.
