Prime Minister’s Fellowship for Doctoral Research

Prime Minister’s Fellowship for Doctoral Research scheme is a prestigious initiative of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science & Technology, Government of India towards the advancement of university research engagements in line with industry requirements. This scheme is aimed at encouraging young, talented, enthusiastic, and result-oriented scholars to take up industry-relevant research by partnering with institutions of academic excellence. The intent was to leverage research with the industry’s innovative capacity by providing access to know-how and facilities. These are critical in advancing expertise and technologies leading to tangible economic outcomes like patents, licenses, non-patented and non-licensed new products, and processes.
Under this scheme, there are 100 slots of fellowships available annually to researchers to pursue PhD in reputed technology and research institutions in India. The first batch of fellowships commenced in 2013. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on behalf of SERB implements the scheme.

Aim:

• To encourage and inspire promising young Indian Ph.D. researchers to pursue industry-relevant research in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and medicine.
• To build industry-academia partnerships for advancing R&D.
• To boost research on industrially relevant subject areas.

Key Features of the Fellowship:

In addition to the attractive scholarship, the Prime Minister’s Fellowship emphasizes providing a unique and invigorating experience to selected fellows. It ensures the best national and international exposure for them and provides mentoring through industry and academic experts through the mechanism of annual review meetings. In addition, periodic mentorship sessions are also organized with the help of expert external agencies.

Duration of Fellowship:

• As per the provisions of the scheme, the scholarship is given for a maximum period of four years.

1. Under this scheme, full-time PhD scholars get double the JRF/SRF fellowship amount, as a scholarship.
2. The scheme has the provision to award up to 100 new scholarships every year. One-half of this scholarship comes from the government; the second half comes from a partner company that also works closely with the candidate on the research project.

1. The applicant should be Indian.
2. The applicant should be a full-time PhD scholar in any recognized Indian university/institute/research laboratory.
3. The scholar’s PhD registration date should not be more than 14 months from the date of submission of application i.e. the applicant should apply within 14 months of PhD admission/registration whichever date is earlier.
4. The applicant should have a valid industry partner who should be ready to support the research project financially as well as provide guidance and mentorship.
5. The mutually agreed topic of research, between the applicant and the supporting company, should be innovative, have practical relevance, and have industrial application.
6. The selected applicant should be willing to work with/in the supporting company as and when required during the project period.
7. The applicant should not draw any other fellowship after the selection.

Online

Application Procedure:

Step 01: Register as a student on the portal or www.primeministerfellowshipscheme.in or www.serbficci-iirrada.in.
Step 02: The application form should be prepared according to the guidelines and submitted online through the website as mentioned below:-

• www.primeministerfellowshipscheme.in (CII coordinating industry chambers) or - www.serbficci-iirrada.in (FICCI coordinating industry chambers)
  Step 03: Download the Call for Proposal and Document Checklist.
  Step 04: Tie up with a company and get the required undertakings signed by a valid signatory in the company as well as in the host institute.
  Step 05: Collect all documents and make digital copies of each.
  Step 06: Fill out the application form online (the form cannot be downloaded and requires net connectivity while filling).
  Step 07: Submit application.
  Note: Do not send any physical copy of the application/documents to CII / FICCI.

Selection Parameters:

• The projects should be innovative and of high scientific merit; with discrete R&D as opposed to exploratory investigation.
• The proposed research project should have a high commercialization potential.
• The applicant, the academic guide, and the industry mentor should have a strong track record.