MK Bhan: Young Researcher Fellowship Programme (India)

The scheme is to offer an independent research grant to young Post-Doctoral Fellows, so as to enable them to emerge as future leaders and take up cutting edge research focused on issues of national relevance. This fellowship will be awarded for Research work to be carried out at DBT-Autonomous Institutes only.

Aim

• To provide attractive opportunities to young researchers for developing them as independent investigators.
• This will enable young researchers to pursue their research interests within the country and also develop a critical mass of trained scientists for the country’s research institutions, universities and major new initiative.

Funding Information

• The scheme provides a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs. 90,000/- p.m.
• MKB-YRFP fellows in addition will receive a research/contingency grant of Rs. 20.00 lakh per year for hiring manpower, purchase of consumables, minor equipment, domestic travel and other contingent expenditure to be incurred for the implementation of research proposal selected for the fellowship.
• MK Bhan fellow can engage one manpower (JRF/SRF/Project Assistant/Project Associate) under him/her. Capital equipment will be procured in the name of the institute where the fellow proposes to work and value of the whole set of the equipment should not exceed Rs.10.00 lakh during the whole tenure of the project.
• MKB-YRFP fellows will be eligible for regular research grant through extra mural and other schemes of various S&T agencies of the Govt. of India, provided that Co-PI is a regular faculty. However, they can take research grant from anywhere but salary from only one source.

Duration

• Up to 50 fellowships will be provided each year. The duration of the fellowship will be for a maximum period of three years and in exceptional cases the duration could be extended by another two years on a fresh appraisal.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant should be Indian National and possess a Ph.D. in any branch of Life Sciences/Biotechnology/allied areas.
• Applicant should not be holding a permanent position in any institute/university.
• The applicant should have an excellent track record as evident by peer reviewed publications, technologies developed, patent (if any). Those who have submitted their Ph.D. are also eligible to apply; however, fellowship can be implemented only after award of the degree. Applicant should not take-up fellowship at the Institute where he/she has done his/her Ph.D.
• Each applicant must identify a host institute and a mentor.
• The upper age limit will be 35 years as on the closing date of the submission of the application.
• Applicants cannot have more than one fellowship at a given point of time.
• The application has to be endorsed by the mentor and the head of the host institute (DBT Autonomous Institute) chosen by the applicant to take up the fellowship in the prescribed format.
• In case a fellow is accepted a regular position in the DBT autonomous institute, salary component of the fellowship will be discontinued from the date of joining the position, however, other components of fellowship will be continued for the remaining tenure of the fellowship.
• The fellowship is co-terminus with the project duration.

For more information, visit Ministry of Science & Technology.