JCBS

J.C. Bose Fellowship

6.6/10

The “J.C. Bose fellowship” is awarded to active scientists in recognition of their outstanding performance. The fellowship is scientist-specific and very selective.

Central Composite

States / UT: All India

Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Science And Technology

Nodal department: Department Of Science & Technology

Scheme for: Individual

Scheme profile

DBT (direct benefit transfer): No

Categories: Education & Learning, Science, IT & Communications

Sub-categories: Education and training grants, fellowship, stipend

Target beneficiaries: Individual

Tags: Fellowship, Science, Research, Scientist, Bose

Details

The “J.C. Bose fellowship” is awarded to active scientists in recognition of their outstanding performance. The fellowship is scientist-specific and very selective. The scientist should be in service at the time of nomination to this fellowship. The nominee should be an Indian national working in institutions in India.

Duration of Fellowship:

  • The duration of the fellowship will be initially for five years. In case, the fellow superannuates during the term of the fellowship, the fellowship can be continued if a host institution is willing to host the fellowship
  • The tenure of the fellowship may be extended for the subsequent term of 5 years based on a rigorous assessment of research performance during the tenure of the fellowship. A minimum of 25% of the applicants seeking an extension will not be granted the extension.

Benefits

  • 1. The fellowship amount is ₹25,000/- per month in addition to regular income. 1. Research grant of ₹15 lakhs per annum. 1. Overhead of ₹1.00 lakh per annum to the host institute
  1. The fellowship amount is ₹25,000/- per month in addition to regular income.
  2. Research grant of ₹15 lakhs per annum.
  3. Overhead of ₹1.00 lakh per annum to the host institute.

Eligibility

  • The candidate should be an active scientist with a record of outstanding performance apparent from the award of the SS Bhatnagar prize and/or fellowship of science academies (including engineering, agriculture, and medicine).
  • The scientist should be in service at the time of nomination to this fellowship.
  • The nominee should be an Indian national working in institutions/Universities in India.
  • The fellowship can be availed up to 68 years of age.
  • The nominee is not availing of any other fellowship including personal fellowship amount and research grant (part of the fellowship) from any Government sources.

How useful is this scheme?

Public benefit analysis

A practical look at this scheme for citizens

AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.

6.6
/ 10
Public Benefit Score
Accessibility 5.0/10 Moderate
Rural usefulness 5.0/10 Moderate
Application complexity 4.0/10 Moderate
Financial impact 9.5/10 Good
Literacy barrier 6.0/10 Moderate
Women inclusivity 5.0/10 Moderate
Awareness 7.5/10 Good
Implementation reliability 7.0/10 Good
Bigger shape means a better fit for citizens
  • Accessibility5.0
  • Financial impact9.5
  • Rural utility5.0
  • Awareness7.5
  • Simplicity6.0
  • Inclusivity5.0

What problem does this scheme solve?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship is a prestigious scheme aimed at recognizing outstanding scientists in India, but it is highly selective and primarily benefits those already established in their fields.

Key challenges addressed

  • Recognition of outstanding scientific performance
  • Support for research activities

Most beneficial for

  • Active scientists
  • Researchers in science and technology

Likely challenges

  • High selectivity
  • Limited awareness among potential nominees

Practical insights for citizens

Practical for established scientists but challenging for newcomers

Rural challenges

  • Limited access to online resources
  • Lower representation of rural scientists

Digital challenges

  • High digital dependency for application process

Implementation bottlenecks

  • Selectivity may limit the number of beneficiaries

Awareness challenges

  • Low awareness among potential candidates outside urban areas

Application analysis

Application mode
Online portal
Documents burden
Moderate, requires detailed research contributions
Verification complexity
High, involves assessment of scientific performance
Office dependency
Low, primarily online
DBT dependency
No direct DBT dependency
CSC support
Limited, primarily online application
Estimated citizen effort
High, requires significant documentation and online submission

Estimated beneficiary reach

  • Rural / urban reach Urban-only
  • Gender reach Moderate
  • Occupation reach Scientific community

Benefit analysis

Benefit type
Composite
Benefit frequency
Monthly and annual grants
Benefit practicality
High for eligible scientists, but selective
Financial meaningfulness
Significant financial support for research
Long-term impact
Potentially high, fostering scientific research and innovation

Plain-language guidance

The J.C. Bose Fellowship supports outstanding scientists in India with financial grants for research. It is highly selective and requires a strong scientific background.

Who should apply
Active scientists with a record of outstanding performance.
Who may struggle
First-time applicants and those from rural backgrounds without strong online access.
Best application route
Apply through the online portal with support from institutional heads.

This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.

Application Process

Online

Nomination:

  • The nominations can be sent by the Heads of the Institutions; JC Bose Fellows and Presidents of National Science Academies.
  • The nominations are received throughout the year.

Online Application Procedure: For successful online submission of the application the following points may be noted-

Step 01: The Nominator should first register on the online website. Click here to register
Step 02: After login, go to Menu --> Proposal Submission --> Form Submission.
Step 03: Some of the details of the Nominee like Name, email, contact details, area of specialization, educational qualifications, employment details & research experience, etc. have to be entered at the time of submission.
Step 04: Research Contribution in the Last 5 years of the Nominee has to be uploaded in a single PDF file not more than 10 MB.

Contact Details:

Member Secretary:
Dr. Jacob V.V.
Science and Engineering Research Board
3rd & 4th Floor, Block II, Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road,
New Delhi-110016, Tel: +91-11-26552216
Email: Jacob@nic.in
Program Coordinator:
Dr. Shashi Bhushan Pandey, Scientist 'G'
Complete guideline for Nominator for SERB-online system

Clarifications

Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).

For whom the J.C. Bose Fellowship is meant for?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship is meant to recognize active scientists for their outstanding performance. The fellowship is scientist-specific and very selective.

What are the eligibility criteria for applying/availing J.C. Bose Fellowship?

Should be an active scientist with a record of outstanding performance apparent from the award of SS Bhatnagar prize and/or fellowship of science academies (including engineering, agriculture and medicine). The scientist should be in service at the time of nomination to this fellowship. The nominee should be an Indian national working in institutions in India.

What are the areas covered under J.C. Bose Fellowship?

All Areas of Science (in the broadest terms) are covered by this Fellowship.

What is the nature of support for the J.C. Bose Fellow?

The J.C. Bose Fellow will receive a personnel Fellowship of ₹25,000/- per month and a Research Grant of ₹15.00 Lakh per annum. ₹1.00 Lakh is provided as Overheads for the host institute.

What is the upper age limit up to which the J C Bose fellowship can be availed?

68 years.

Can the JC Bose fellow continue the fellowship after superannuation?

The JC Bose fellowship can be continued after superannuation provided a host institution is willing to accept the fellowship and provide all necessary infrastructure and administrative support.

When can a person apply for the J.C. Bose Fellowship? What is the last date of acceptance of the application?

The nominations for the J.C. Bose Fellowship are accepted throughout the year and there is no last date of acceptance of the nomination.

Who can nominate for J C Bose Fellows?

Heads of Institutions, JC Bose fellows, Presidents of Science Academies can send the nominations.

What is the duration of the J.C. Bose Fellowship?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship duration is 5 years.

How/When can the individual start his J.C. Bose Fellowship?

A letter is sent by the Science & Engineering Research Board to the Individual as well as to the host Institute informing the award of J.C. Bose Fellowship. On receipt of this offer letter, the Individual has to send acceptance letter indicating the month when he/she wants to start the Fellowship, and then the Institute will forward the acceptance letter to the Science & Engineering Research Board. Based on this letter, the Board will process for necessary approvals and a Sanction Order will be issued to the host institute (and a copy to the J.C. Bose Fellow). The start date of fellowship will be the date of receipt of grant at host institute.

How does a J.C. Bose Fellow get his subsequent Grant?

The Grant for the subsequent years is released after receiving Statement of Expenditure (SE) and Utilization Certificate (UC) along with activity report through the online portal(www.serbonline.in). The SE and UC are to be submitted financial year wise i.e. from 01st April to 31st March. For the first year it would be from the Date of Start (DOS) to 31st March and subsequently from 01st April to 31st March.

Is the personal fellowship received in J.C. Bose Fellowship scheme taxable?

Yes, it is taxable.

Can a fellow change the host institute during implementation of J.C. Bose Fellowship?

A J C Bose fellow can change the host institute during implementation of J.C. Bose Fellowship. He has to forward NOCs from both the Institutes along with final financial papers indicating balance unspent grant from the old institute and endorsement certificate(format available on SERB website) and appointment letter from the new Institute indicating the joining date and duration of the appointment.

What are the guidelines for superannuated fellows availing of the JC Bose fellowship along with any other fellowship/ honorarium?

Superannuated JC Bose fellows can avail the award money provided for SS Bhatnagar Prize/Academy fellowships and honorarium/salary being provided by the host institution in addition to JC Bose fellowship. However, they are not allowed to avail any other fellowship of a similar kind such as DAE Raja Ramanna Fellowship. Any misinformation in this regard may lead to full recovery of J C Bose fellowship with penal interest from the awardees.

Is there a provision for extension of the fellowship?

The fellowship can be renewed for a period of 5 years after rigorous assessment of research performance of the fellow during the tenure of the fellowship. The fellows will be required to submit a document highlighting the research work done during the previous 5 years, with complete list of publications/patents, and research personnel trained during the tenure of the fellowship. The criteria for renewal will be based on research performance. Any other accomplishment such as occupying leadership position will not be counted as factors. Minimum exit of 25% of the fellows will be enforced while giving the extension of the fellowship.

Is there any flexibility to utilize the research grant available from the J C Bose fellowship?

There is complete flexibility in using the research grant of Rs. 15.00 lakh. Funds under this "Research Grant" head (Rs. 15.0 Lakh) can be utilized for hiring of manpower, consumables, national travel for self, students, other research staff, visiting scientists and international travel and per diem per year for self for research purposes, chemicals, equipment items, other unforeseen contingencies, repair of equipment, books and journals, etc. and any other research and academic activity, subject to the ceiling of sanctioned Research Grant budget head.

References

Official Website
https://serb.gov.in/page/awards_fellowship#J%20C%20Bose%20National%20Fellowship
Application Portal
http://serbonline.com/
Order
https://serb.gov.in/assets/pdf/format/SERB_JC%20Bose%20Fellowship%20order.pdf
Formats And Guidelines
https://serb.gov.in/page/format_guideline5
Scheme Details
https://serb.gov.in/page/awards_fellowship#J%20C%20Bose%20National%20Fellowship

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Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of J.C. Bose Fellowship?
J.C. Bose Fellowship is a government welfare initiative designed to support Individual, Individual through benefits related to Education & Learning, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
Who can apply for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Eligibility for J.C. Bose Fellowship may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
What benefits are offered under J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Benefits under J.C. Bose Fellowship may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
Which department manages J.C. Bose Fellowship?
J.C. Bose Fellowship is managed by Department Of Science & Technology and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
Can users apply online for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for J.C. Bose Fellowship through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
Where can users apply for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Applications for J.C. Bose Fellowship may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
What documents may be required for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
Is income certificate required for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Income certificate requirements may vary depending on beneficiary category, subsidy eligibility, and financial assistance criteria defined under J.C. Bose Fellowship.
Is J.C. Bose Fellowship a central government scheme?
Yes, J.C. Bose Fellowship is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
Can students apply for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Eligible students studying in recognised institutions may apply for J.C. Bose Fellowship depending on educational qualification, category, income limit, and academic eligibility.
Is scholarship amount provided under J.C. Bose Fellowship?
J.C. Bose Fellowship may provide scholarship assistance, tuition support, educational reimbursement, or financial aid for eligible students.
Can CSC centres help users apply for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
How can users check the latest updates for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
Can beneficiaries track application status for J.C. Bose Fellowship?
Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
Where can users get help for J.C. Bose Fellowship in All India?
Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
Which nearby public services may help with J.C. Bose Fellowship applications?
Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.