Call for Proposals: E-YUVA Fellow Scheme (India)

The scheme provides funding support (through fellowship and research grant), technical and business mentoring, exposure to bioincubation model, orientation to entrepreneurial culture etc. to students at various levels including undergraduates, post-graduates and post-doctoral.

This BIRAC’s scheme is implemented through dedicated hubs called E-Yuva Centers (EYCs) housed within the University/Institute set up and mentored by a BIRAC BioNEST supported bio-incubator. EYCs act as anchors and extend requisite support and mentoring to students. Each EYC has a BIRAC supported pre-incubation space which offers infrastructure and equipment for basic research and experimentation by selected students. Advanced research needs are fulfilled through bio-incubator connect.

Categories

The scheme provides support for students under the following two categories:

• BIRAC’s E-YUVA Fellows (for pursuing undergraduate students)
• BIRAC’s Innovation Fellows (for PG and PhD degree holders)

Areas Covered

• BIRAC Innovation Fellowship proposals can be submitted in any domain including Healthcare, Lifesciences, Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Drugs, Vaccines, Drug Formulations and delivery systems, Industrial Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Agriculture, Secondary agriculture, Waste Management, Sanitation, Clean Energy and Artificial Intelligence/IoT/Automation with application in any of these areas.
• BIRAC encourages interdisciplinary proposals from any stream that can help conversion of innovative ideas into biotech products and technologies in any of the above fields.

Benefits

• BIRAC’s E-YUVA Fellows (for undergraduate students)
  • BIRAC’s Innovation Fellows will receive fellowship grant and annual research grant as mentioned below:
    • Fellowship grant:
      • INR 30,000 per month for Post-graduate fellow
      • INR 50,000 per month for Post-doctoral fellow
    • Annual research grant:
      • INR 3,00,000 per year for Post-graduate fellow
      • INR 5,00,000 per year for Post-doctoral fellow
  • EYCs and BIRAC provide continuous mentoring support to fellows, including but not limited to Technical Mentoring, IP Support, Legal Support, Networking and Outreach, Trainings, Regulatory Advice, Business Mentoring and Fund raising.
  • Fellowship is provided for a period of 18 months with a provision of 6 months extension only for deserving cases.
• BIRAC’s Innovation Fellows (for post-graduates and PhDs)
  • BIRAC’s E-Yuva Fellows will receive quarterly stipend and annual research grant as mentioned below:
    • Quarterly Stipend: INR 7,500 per quarter per student of the team
    • Annual research grant: INR 2,50,000 per team
  • Fellowship is provided for a period of 12 months.

Roles and Responsibilities of EYCs

• View and process online applications received for fellowship
• Screen applications for eligibility and suitability for the scheme
• Carry out online Technical Review of eligible applications through Subject Experts (Reviewers)
• Shortlist proposals for interview (F2F/skype/telephonic) by an Expert Panel
• Communicate decision to applicants at each step of selection
• Seek BIRAC approval on final selection of fellows or their eligibility
• Issue fellowship award letter to the selected candidates on behalf of BIRAC
• Release fellowship and research grant received from BIRAC
• Provide mentorship, handholding and access to facilities at EYC and EYC Knowledge Partner for BIRAC’s Innovation and E-YUVA Fellows
• Monitor the targeted milestones
• Organize periodic review meetings

Who can apply?

• The scheme provides support for students under the following two categories:
  • BIRAC’s E-YUVA Fellows (for undergraduate students)
    • Eligibility Criteria:
      • Students who are pursuing under graduation. Apply as a team.
      • A team should comprise a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 Indian students from Indian Institutes/colleges pursuing under graduation in any domain. Teams with students from different disciplines are encouraged. One team can have students from the same/different college/institute.
      • The team should be supported by a mentor/guide.
  • BIRAC’s Innovation Fellows (for post-graduates and PhDs)
    • Eligibility Criteria:
      • Post-Doctoral Fellow
        • Applicants who have completed their Ph.D in any field of science
        • The fellow should apply within 2 years of completion of the degree (females are exempted from this condition)
      • Post Graduate Fellow:
        • Applicants who have completed their Masters/B.Tech/ B.Pharma/B.E in any field of science.
        • The fellow should apply within 3 years of completion of the degree (females are exempted from this condition)
    • Notes:
      • BIRAC’s Innovation fellows are required to work full-time at EYC
      • Students pursuing PhD cannot be considered for a fellowship grant
      • Selected fellows cannot pursue a PhD during the fellowship tenure
• Eligibility of EYC
  • University/Institution established as a legal entity under the relevant Law of India having at least 51% Indian stakeholders (owners/partners/trustees/ members/associates etc.) is eligible to apply. The University/Institution could be Public (Central/State)/Private owned. Other mandatory conditions are as follows:
    • Applicant University/Institution should have a Department in Life Sciences stream (Biotechnology/ Biosciences/ Agriculture /Horticulture/ Food technology etc.) for technical support
    • Age of the applicant University/Institution should be at least 3 years or more
    • Presence of an Innovation supporting formal body, such as E-Cell/ Institutional Innovation Councils/ IP Cells/ TTOs / Incubation centre etc. is a must
  • It is desirous for the applicant organization to have:
    • Connect with a Bio-incubator
    • Network of experts who can provide technical/business mentorship to fellows
  • Applications for EYCs need to be routed through the Head of the University/Institution. The Head of the University/ Institution shall appoint/nominate the Project Lead as a contact point for BIRAC EYC until a dedicated staff is appointed for the same.

For more information, visit Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council.