Odisha HRD

UGC Predoctoral and Postdoctoral fellowships in Sciences

October 15th, 2007

The details are extracted from the following documents linked from the UGC website http://www.ugc.ac.in/financialsupport/xiplan.html.

• D.S. Kothari Post-Doctoral Fellowships 
• Research Fellowship in Sciences for Meritorious Students

UGC scheme for post-doctoral Fellowships (pdfs) (To be named D. S. Kothari Fellowships)

Preamble:
Post-doctoral research is an important enabling step in grooming young researchers for launching an academic/research career. This is a transition phase from a largely supervisor directed student at doctoral level to an independent researcher for leadership position, particularly in academia. A post-doctoral stint also provides an opportunity to acquire new skills, broaden one’s horizon and offers a platform for transiting into cross-disciplinary areas. Experience in other parts of the world has shown that university faculty is best inducted from among candidates who had a year or two of post-doctoral training and is generally considered an essential requirement. Mentoring for independent research is an indispensable element of post-doctoral training. Top rated institutions in our country which value research also follow this practice but it has not permeated widely. Leading research groups around the world usually have a good mix of post-doctoral fellows and doctoral students with the former bringing in a level of experience and maturity. However, in our country post-doctoral research culture has not caught on and is practiced only sporadically in a few selected places. Ironically, Ph. D’s from leading institutions in India, particularly in basic sciences prefer seeking post-doctoral positions overseas. Within the country, a pdf position is mistakenly viewed as a mere parking opportunity while scouting for a regular appointment.

With our higher education system poised for rapid and massive expansion in the years ahead and the establishment of many new science and technology institutions on the anvil, requirement of potential faculty with pdf experience will be very substantial. Thus, a `home grown’ pdf program can be expected to partly redeem the expected short fall in trained faculty required for HEI’s. It is in this context that UGC initiative to launch a prestigious pdf initiative, named after an illustrious scientist, is important and timely and fills a widely felt void.

Several agencies like UGC/CSIR/DST/DBT and a few selected institutions have schemes to award pdfs (also called Research Associateships, RAs) through open call. A few merit-based research schemes funded by various agencies also have provision for pdf/RA. However, the scene is far from satisfactory and opportunities are not only inadequate but the schemes are not optimally structured. This scenario needs change. If is very necessary that a pdf scheme of this nature is run in a flexible mode, with fast track, on=line handling and decision making and must be tuned to the ground realities prevailing in our university system. In our context, with no clearly defined bench marks for thesis quality, a post-doctoral stint for many fresh Ph. D’s, may be also an opportunity to overcome the deficiencies at doctoral level research as well as an opportunity to explore new areas of research in different settings. The process outlined below is proposed, keeping some of these factors in mind.

Process:

a) The selection process would be open all the year round in `…as and when…. ‘ mode and not restricted by any specified deadlines as thesis submission and award of Ph. D degree are open ended processes. There would be a rolling advertisement on the UGC website; other institutions and UGC affiliates should be encouraged to replicate it on theirs.
b) Applications should be submitted electronically on forms that can be downloaded from the web and the entire process would be carried out on-line.
c) A standing (core) peer group should be able to access the applications on the web and grade them electronically. On the basis of the grades
received (electronically) from the peer group, the Chair of this group takes the final decision. Since this is a promotional scheme to inculcate post-doctoral research culture, , emphasis during the review process/selection should be an appropriate mix of the candidate’s accomplishment at Ph. D level and the professional standing of mentor and institution where the post-doctoral research is to be carried out. In general, candidates should be encouraged to move to other institutions and newer areas of research.
d) The selection process should be completed within 6-weeks of the receipt of individual application. The whole process should be akin to that employed for manuscript handing and evaluation by leading international Journals and should be a paperless exercise.
e) These pdfs should also have an, international flavor and be open to students from other parts of the world, particularly to those from developing and neighboring countries.

There could be up to 500 such awards every year, making it to about 1000 at its peak.

Eligibility and duration:
Candidates who have either received a Ph. D degree or submitted their Ph. D thesis are eligible to apply. When selected, those holding the Ph. D degree will be directly awarded the named pdf Those who have submitted their Ph. D thesis may be awarded a `bridging fellowship’ (with marginally reduced stipend) until they are formally awarded the Ph. D degree. The fellowship will be awarded on a yearly basis with renewal/termination clause on the basis of pdf mentor/peer group appraisal. However, the maximum duration of the pdf award would be 3 yrs. Candidates should give an undertaking while availing the award, along with the endorsement of the research mentor, that they would stay in place for a minimum of six months.

Stipend:
The stipend for these awards should be Rs.18.000-22,000 pm with annual increase of Rs.1000 pm. The `bridging fellowship’ stipend should be Rs. 16,000 pm. The pdf award should carry a contingency grant of Rs . 50, 000 pa.

Note: Since the scheme is crafted to work electronically , a dedicated officer/and or senior academic can supervise the whole process and the operational part can be through APO (Application Process Outsourcing).

UGC Guidelines for Research Fellowship in Sciences for Meritorious Students

(Applicable to all Departments of Sciences, Bio-Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Engineering Sciences of the eligible Universities)

1. Introduction
The Research Fellowship in Sciences for meritorious students (RFSMS) scheme of the UGC is open to candidates who have registered for Ph.D. in Science in Universities with Potential for Excellence/Centres with Potential for Excellence/Centres of Advance Studies and Department of Special Assistance
identified by UGC.
2. Objectives

The objective of the RFSMS scheme is to provide opportunities to meritorious candidates to undertake advanced studies and research leading to Ph.D. degrees in sciences.

3. Eligibility
The candidates who hale been registered for Ph.D. in Science subjects in Universities with Potential for Excellence/Centres with Potential for Excellence / Centres of Advance Studies and Department of Special Assistance identified by UGC.

4. Nature of Assistance Available Under the Scheme  The tenure of fellowship is initially for two years under the RFSMS scheme. Upon expiry of this period, the work of the Fellow will be evaluated by Experts Committee to be set up by the university. If the research work is found satisfactory, his/her tenure will be extended for a further period of three years. In case the work for the first two years is not found satisfactory, an additional year will be given to him/her for improvement. In such cases work will be evaluated again after three years, and if improvement is found, the Fellow will get two more years under the RFSMS. Thus, the total period of fellowship is five years, with no further provision of extension.

Financial Assistance:
Fellowship: @ Rs.8,000/-p.m.
Contingency @ Rs.6,000/-p.a.

Leave : Research Fellows would be entitled for a maximum period of 30 days of leave in a year in addition to public holidays. They are not entitled to any other vacations. Women candidates are eligible for maternity leave of 135 days at full rates of fellowship once during the tenure of their award. In special cases Research Fellows may be allowed leave without fellowship by the Commission upto one academic year during the entire tenure of the award for accepting teaching assignments on a temporary basis, provided the assignment is in the same city/town. In other cases, leave without fellowship will be restricted to a period not exceeding three months during the tenure of the award on the recommendations of the supervisor and the institution. The period of leave without fellowship will be counted towards the total tenure of the award. Research Fellows have tc apply for leave through universities / institutions / colleges well in advance for the approval of the Commission.

5. Procedure for Applying and Selection under the Scheme

Only those candidates who have been registered for Ph.D. in science subjects in Universities with Potential for Excellence/Centres with Potential for Excellence/Centres of Advance Studies and Department of Special Assistance identified by UGC are eligible to apply for fellowship under the scheme. They will have to apply for Researc’:i Fellowship to the identified Universities/Institutions The selections would be made by the concerned institution as per the provisions contained in these guidelines.

The university shall select the Research Fellows under the scheme from amongst the eligible candidates through a process of interview by Selection
Committee with the followirg constitution:

(a)  An eminent scientist to be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor:

(b)  Head of the Department.

(c)  One Professor and one Reader from the department. to be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor;

(d)  Two Experts from outside the university to be nominated by Vice-Chancellor, cut of the Panel of names proposed by Head of the Department.

6. Procedure for Release of Grant

On receipt of the names, bic-data and joining report of the selected candidates from the University/Institution, the UGC office will accept the candidature of the Fellow and will release the first installment of admissible grants to the Institution/ University on a yearly basis, from the date of joining in a lump sum manner.
The University/Institution magi pay the fellowship amount to the Fellows out of the development grant paid in lump sum by the Commission for the purpose in accordance with the rules, to avoid any hardship to the fellows, due to delay in payment to them. The next installment of fellowship grant will be released to the University/ Institute on receipt of the complete Utilization Certificate and Statement of Expenditure of the previous grant released by the UGC for the purpose, duly signed by the competent authority (Registrar/Finance Officer).

7. Procedure for Monitoring the Progress of the Scheme

The performance of the Research Fellow is monitored by their respective supervisor/guide and reflected in the yearly progress report submitted to the university for submission to ‘ he UGC office.  On completion of first two years of the award, the Fellow may apply to the department/university concerned for continuation. For this purpose, a three-member Committee consisting of the Supervisor, Head of Department and one Outside Expert in the concerned subject will be constituted by the Institution to evaluate the research work done by the Recommendations/Comments of the Committee, the Fellow will be allowed to continue. The concerned departments are expected to monitor the work of the Fellow continuously. He/she shall not accept or hold any position, paid or otherwise, or receive emoluments, salary, stipend, etc. from other sources during the tenure of  the award.

The fellowship may be terminated by the Commission, on the recommendation of the University at any time during the tenure and the decision of the Commission will be final and binding. The tenure of the fellowship is for five years from the date of joining, subject to satisfactory progress report of the Fellow or submission of Ph.D. thesis, whichever s earlier. No extension is permissible beyond the total tenure of five years and ‘he awardee ceases to be a UGC Research Fellow under the scheme of RFSMS immediately after expiry of the due date. Any claim/reference to this effect will be illegal and the individual may have to face  disciplinary action for such an act.

8.Other Conditions

The Research Fellow, with the consent of the guide/head of department, may assist the university/institution in its academic work, including tutorials, evaluation of the test papers, laboratory demonstration, supervision of fieldwork, library activities like group seminars and symposia, provided such work is not likely to hinder the research programmes on hand. The total amount of time to he spent on such activities should not exceed ten hours a week.

9. Cancellation of Award

The fellowship is liable to cancellation , in case of:

• Misconduct, unsatisfactory progress of research work/failure in any examination related to M.Phil./Ph.D.; or he/she is found ineligible later

 

Entry Filed under: Fellowships and Scholarships,Five yr integrated MSc programs,UGC