About this education scheme
This fellowship is meant for Young Faculty having regular position at their institution and proven track record in research. Support is provisioned for 50 candidates, for an initial period of support of 2 years, extendible till 5 years based on performance review.
The “Young Faculty Research Fellowship (YFRF)” is a component of the “Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT”, implemented by the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. The objective of the scheme is to promote R&D, create an innovative ecosystem, and enhance India’s competitiveness in the knowledge-intensive sectors of Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES).
This fellowship is meant for Young Faculty having regular position at their institution and proven track record in research. Support is provisioned for 50 candidates, for an initial period of support of 2 years, extendible till 5th year based on performance review.
Benefits at a glance
| Scheme name | Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT: Young Faculty Research Fellowships (VPHD_YFRF) |
|---|---|
| Launched by | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| Benefit type | Composite (cash plus goods or services) |
| Category | Education |
| Level / State | Central · All India |
| Official portal | phd.dic.gov.in (link at the end of this page) |
Key facts
| Scheme type | Central Sector Scheme |
|---|---|
| Implementing agency | Digital India Corporation |
| Scheme for | Individual |
| Application mode | Online |
| Last date | Ongoing (no last date notified) |
| DBT (direct bank transfer) | No |
Who can apply (quick check)
- 👤All genders
- 🎂Age 21 to 40 years
- 💼Teacher / Faculty
- 📝Online
Quick check from official data. Full conditions are in the Eligibility section.
What you receive
Nature of Support:
- Research Fellowship: Rs. 20,000/- per month, in addition to the regular salary
- Research Contingency Grant: Rs. 5,00,000/- per year for a maximum of 5 years
- The fellowship is tenable only in India and can be implemented in any of the recognized & eligible academic and R&D institution.
- Research Contingency Grant can be used for minor equipment, consumables and domestic travel. The host institution should provide necessary administrative and infrastructural support for YFRF.
- The fellows are not eligible to receive any other fellowship from any Government or Non-Government source during the tenure of the fellowship.
- YFRFs are non-transferrable. The research work is to be carried out in the same eligible institution though which YFRF proposal was submitted.
Duration of Support:
- The fellowship is purely a temporary assignment, and is tenable for a maximum period of 05 years.
- The award will initially be for 2 years and further extendible, based on performance review.
Who qualifies
- The applicant should be an Indian citizen.
- The applicant must have obtained PhD degree from a recognized University with first class (in terms of grades, etc.) in all preceding levels and a good academic record throughout.
- The applicant must have a regular position in the institute and should be engaged in research.
- The upper age limit for the fellowship is 40 years on the date of submission of application.
- YFRF under Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme can be availed only once by a candidate in his/her career.
- The applicant availing any other fellowship is not eligible to apply.
- Proposals for allotment of YFRF are to be submitted through eligible institutions only.
- Each institution in the proposal may submit up to three nominations for the award for each round of call for applications.
Discontinuation of the Fellowship:
- The performance of YFRF would be reviewed periodically as per the discretion of PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY.
- A detailed performance assessment/review of award would be conducted annually and decision on continuation of YFRF would be taken accordingly.
- If any fellow wishes to discontinue the fellowship, the institution should inform Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme immediately. One month's notice is to be given to DIC through the institution before the date of discontinuation.
- The implementing institution should not incur any expenditure from the date of termination of the project or the date of resignation of the fellow. The institution will ensure the submission of work report and other requisite documents from YFRF awardee.
- PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY reserves the right to hold/ stop/ terminate the Fellowship at any stage because of reasons including, but not limited to the following:
- Appropriate progress is not being made.
- The grant is not being utilized properly.
- Violation/ Non-compliance of guidelines.
- Any other reason, which is deemed appropriate by PhD Cell, DIC, MeitY.
Papers to keep ready
Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme is an institutional scheme wherein eligible institutions submit nominations for YFRF against an active call for proposal by Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme, DIC, MeitY. Accordingly, the applicants may contact their respective institutions for documents and other formalities.
Registration walkthrough
Online
The scheme is an institutional scheme wherein nominations for YFRF are submitted by the eligible institution againt Call for Proposal (Invitation for Nominations) by PhD Cell, Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme
Selection & Mode of Application: PhD Cell invites nominations periodically from eligible institutions for award of YFRF under the scheme. Subsequently the nominations are evaluated by experts and accordingly, the fellowships are awarded.
- The call for applications for YFRF will be notified by PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY through the web portal https://phd.dic.gov.in
- Each eligible institutions can submit up to a maximum of three nominations for the YFRF award to PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY through the web portal https://phd.dic.gov.in/
- The proposal should define clear objectives, outcomes and deliverables against the award.
- The eligible institutions will be allowed to submit nominations for the award once in a year against a call for nominations by PhD Cell. PhD Cell will scrutinize and evaluate these nominations periodically. The stages of evaluation will be decided by PhD Cell considering different aspects including but not limited to:
- No. of nominations received.
- Suitability of the received nominations, etc.
Note:
- PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY reserves the right to screen and consider suitable candidates.
- Just fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria would not entitle one to be selected.
- PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY may change the T&C at its discretion, if deemed necessary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main objective of the YFRF scheme?
The main objective is to encourage high-quality research in emerging areas of ESDM and IT/ITES by supporting talented young faculty members in academic and R&D institutions.
How many fellowships are awarded under this scheme?
A total of 50 fellowships are provisioned.
What is the duration of the fellowship?
The fellowship is awarded for an initial period of 2 years, extendable up to a maximum of 5 years based on performance review.
Which institutions are eligible to participate in the scheme?
Please visit https://phd.dic.gov.in/eligibility for eligibility criteria
What support is available for Young Faculty Research Fellowship?
- Fellowship of Rs. 20,000 per month (in addition to regular salary).
- Research Contingency Grant of Rs. 5 lakh per year
Can faculty from private institutions apply for the Young Faculty Research Fellowship?
Yes, if the institution & applicant meet the eligibility criteria specified in the guidelines
Can an awardee of another research fellowship avail the Young Faculty Research Fellowship?
No, the candidate must opt for only one fellowship.
How a faculty can apply for Young Faculty Research Fellowship (YFRF)?
PhD Cell invites nominations periodically from eligible institutions for award of YFRF under the scheme. Subsequently the nominations received are evaluated and accordingly, the fellowships are awarded.
What are the research areas?
ESDM & IT / ITeS
Is the fellowship tenable outside India?
No, it is tenable only in India at recognized academic and R&D institutions.
Is there an age limit for applying?
Yes, the maximum age is 40 years on the date of submission of application.
Can I apply if I have already availed YFRF in the past?
No, the fellowship can be availed only once in a career.
Can I apply directly as an individual?
No, proposals must be submitted through eligible institutions only.
Submit your application yourself on the official portal; it costs nothing. Treat anyone demanding money to "get you approved" as a scam.
- Scheme Details www.meity.gov.in
- Guidelines phd.dic.gov.in (PDF)
- User Manual phd.dic.gov.in (PDF)
tsmpb.in is not affiliated with any government department. Apply only on the official portal and never pay anyone for an application.
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