What is the purpose of Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Eligibility for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Benefits under Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.

Is Aadhaar mandatory for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Applications for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Income certificate requirements may vary depending on beneficiary category, subsidy eligibility, and financial assistance criteria defined under Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme.

Is Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme a central government scheme?

Yes, Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.

Can students apply for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Eligible students studying in recognised institutions may apply for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme depending on educational qualification, category, income limit, and academic eligibility.

Is scholarship amount provided under Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme may provide scholarship assistance, tuition support, educational reimbursement, or financial aid for eligible students.

Can CSC centres help users apply for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.

Are there deadlines for applying to Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Some schemes may operate through fixed application windows, annual registration cycles, or department-specific deadlines depending on scheme implementation policies.

Can beneficiaries track application status for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?

Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.

Where can users get help for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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.

Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme – eligibility, benefits & apply

Scheme profile

DBT (direct benefit transfer): No

Scheme open date: 2017-01-08

Categories: Education & Learning, Science, IT & Communications

Sub-categories: Education and training grants, fellowship, stipend, Research & Development, International education

Target beneficiaries: Individual

Tags: Visiting, Joint Research, Faculty, VAJRA, Overseas, NRI, OCI, SERB

Details

“Visiting Advanced Joint Research (VAJRA) Faculty Scheme” was launched by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India to bring a strong international connection to the R&D ecosystem of India. The scheme offers adjunct/visiting faculty assignments to overseas scientists, faculty members, and R&D professionals including Non-resident Indians (NRI) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) to undertake high-quality collaborative research in publicly funded academic and research Institutions of India. VAJRA Faculty will engage in collaborative research in cutting-edge areas of science and technology including interdisciplinary areas of priority such as energy, water, health, security, nutrition, materials and manufacturing, etc. with one or more Indian Collaborators. VAJRA Faculty is expected to co-guide research students and may also be involved in technology development, innovation, start-ups, etc. The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a Statutory body of the Department will implement the Scheme.

Benefits

1. The residency period of VAJRA Faculty in India would be for a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 3 months. 1. VAJRA Faculty will be provided US$ 15000 in the first month of engagement and US$ 10000 p.m. in the subsequent two months. While no separate support is provided for travel accommodation medical/personal insurance etc. the host institute may consider providing additional support. 1. Return visit of Indian faculty to the Institute of VAJRA Faculty: One research visit by the Indian host to the Institute of the VAJRA Faculty for a period not less than a week and not exceeding 30 days will be supported. The board will provide return economy airfare not exceeding ₹1.5 lakhs per diem and accommodation as per the norms of the Board. 1. Student mobility (Doctoral & Postdoctoral Level: Across labs): Collaborative research visit of not more than 2 students doctoral preferably co-advised / post-doctoral level after 2 years of engagement from the research group of Indian host to the Institute of the VAJRA Faculty for a duration of three to six months will be supported. The board will provide a return economy airfare a one-time contingency grant of ₹60 000/- and fellowship equivalent to the norms of the Board. 1. Research Contingency Grant to the hosting Indian Collaborator: ₹5.0 lakhs per year of research visit per VAJRA Faculty to the Indian host to meet expenses related to the collaborative research will also be provided. 1. Support to engage VAJRA Faculty to give lectures in his/her area of expertise in the host Institute: Support to VAJRA Faculty to the tune of ₹1.0 lakh per year for this activity will be provided

The residency period of VAJRA Faculty in India would be for a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 3 months.
VAJRA Faculty will be provided US$ 15000 in the first month of engagement and US$ 10000 p.m. in the subsequent two months. While no separate support is provided for travel, accommodation, medical/personal insurance, etc. the host institute may consider providing additional support.
Return visit of Indian faculty to the Institute of VAJRA Faculty: One research visit by the Indian host to the Institute of the VAJRA Faculty for a period not less than a week and not exceeding 30 days will be supported. The board will provide return economy airfare, not exceeding ₹1.5 lakhs per diem, and accommodation as per the norms of the Board. 1. Student mobility (Doctoral & Postdoctoral Level: Across labs): Collaborative research visit of not more than 2 students, doctoral, preferably co-advised / post-doctoral level after 2 years of engagement from the research group of Indian host to the Institute of the VAJRA Faculty for a duration of three to six months will be supported. The board will provide a return economy airfare, a one-time contingency grant of ₹60,000/- and fellowship equivalent to the norms of the Board. 1. Research Contingency Grant to the hosting Indian Collaborator: ₹5.0 lakhs per year of research visit per VAJRA Faculty to the Indian host to meet expenses related to the collaborative research will also be provided. 1. Support to engage VAJRA Faculty to give lectures in his/her area of expertise in the host Institute: Support to VAJRA Faculty to the tune of ₹1.0 lakh per year for this activity will be provided.

Eligibility

The scheme is open to overseas scientists, faculty members, and R&D professionals including Non-resident Indians (NRI) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI).
The overseas scientist/faculty should be an active researcher working in a leading academic/research/industrial organization with a proven track record of research and development.
Indian Collaborator(s) should be a regular faculty/researcher in academic/research institutions.
Indian Collaborator(s) from the Top 10 Private Institutions as per the NIRF ranking are also eligible to apply if the Institute contributes 50% of the cost.

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.

6.2

/ 10

Public Benefit Score

Accessibility 5.0/10 Moderate

Rural usefulness 4.0/10 Moderate

Application complexity 6.0/10 Moderate

Financial impact 9.0/10 Good

Literacy barrier 8.0/10 Challenging

Women inclusivity 6.0/10 Moderate

Awareness 7.5/10 Good

Implementation reliability 7.0/10 Good

Bigger shape means a better fit for citizens

Accessibility5.0
Financial impact9.0
Rural utility4.0
Awareness7.5
Simplicity4.0
Inclusivity6.0

What problem does this scheme solve?

The VAJRA Faculty Scheme aims to enhance India's research capabilities by inviting overseas scientists and academicians, which can significantly benefit the academic ecosystem.

Key challenges addressed

Enhancing research quality in Indian institutions
Bridging the gap between Indian and international research communities

Most beneficial for

Overseas scientists
Indian academic institutions seeking collaboration

Likely challenges

Complex application process for first-time applicants
Limited awareness among potential beneficiaries

Practical insights for citizens

The scheme is practical for established researchers but may not reach grassroots levels effectively.

Rural challenges

Limited access to online resources
Lack of awareness among rural institutions

Digital challenges

High digital dependency may exclude non-digital users

Implementation bottlenecks

Complexity in collaboration between Indian and overseas institutions

Awareness challenges

Low awareness among potential beneficiaries in rural areas

Application analysis

Application mode: Online portal
Documents burden: Moderate, requires endorsement and consent letters
Verification complexity: High, involves multiple stakeholders
Office dependency: Low, primarily online
DBT dependency: No direct benefit transfer
CSC support: Limited, primarily online application
Estimated citizen effort: High, due to detailed application process

Estimated beneficiary reach

Rural / urban reach Urban-only
Gender reach Moderate
Occupation reach Academics and researchers

Benefit analysis

Benefit type: Composite
Benefit frequency: One-time per engagement
Benefit practicality: High, but dependent on collaboration effectiveness
Financial meaningfulness: Moderate, as benefits are substantial for research but not for individuals
Long-term impact: Potentially high, if collaborations lead to sustainable research outcomes

Plain-language guidance

The VAJRA Faculty Scheme invites overseas scientists to collaborate with Indian institutions for research. It provides financial support for their stay and research activities.

Who should apply: Overseas scientists and academicians looking to work in India.
Who may struggle: First-time applicants and those unfamiliar with online processes.
Best application route: Apply directly through the online portal with necessary endorsements.

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

Step 01: Application for the VAJRA Faculty Scheme can be submitted throughout the year.
Step 02: The Indian collaborator should identify appropriate overseas faculty/ researcher and jointly frame a research plan.
Step 03: The Lead Indian collaborator should submit the application online at https://anrfonline.in/ANRF/HomePage
Step 04: The Indian Collaborator should register on the Online Portal. click here to register
Step 05: If there are Other Indian Collaborators as part of the proposed work, then it is to be ensured that all the other Indian Collaborator(s) are registered in the SERB online portal and have filled all mandatory fields in the Profile Details section under User Profile.
Step 06: Under 'Form Submission' choose Scheme: VAJRA for opening the online submission form.
Step 07: All the details need to be filled in the online submission form.
Step 08: Endorsement certificate from Indian Institution and consent letter from overseas faculty institution for participation as VAJRA Faculty, should be uploaded during the time of submission.
Step 09: On submission of the online application, a link to view the submitted application will be sent to the overseas faculty. On his acceptance, the application would be deemed formally submitted for further consideration.
Step 10: The Committee for evaluating the applications will meet twice a year and make its recommendations. SERB will announce the results subsequently.

Clarifications

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

Is it ok if a faculty member invites two overseas faculty for VAJRA? Are there any constraints/limits (in terms of number) by institution?: There are no constraints to the number of VAJRA Faculties in an Institute. But at a time only one VAJRA Faculty will be awarded to the Indian Lead Collaborator.
Which is the implementing agency of this scheme?: Science and Engineering Research Board, Government of India
Are private/NGO institutes eligible to apply under VAJRA Scheme?: Indian Collaborator(s) from Top 10 Private Institutions as per the NIRF ranking are also eligible to apply if the Institute contributes 50% of the cost.
Whether any Overhead/research grant or any other component is allowed under this scheme in excess of the lump sum amount of $15000 (or $10000) to be disbursed to the VAJRA foreign faculty?: Research Contingency Grant of ₹5.0 lakhs per year of research visits per VAJRA Faculty to the Indian host to meet expenses related to the collaborative research will be provided. Support to VAJRA Faculty to the tune of ₹1.0 lakh per year to give lectures in his/her area of expertise in the host Institute. No Other components such as Overhead, Equipment, Manpower, etc. are provided under the scheme.
Are there any specific areas for which VAJRA can be applied?: There are no specific areas under VAJRA Scheme. The collaboration should be in the frontier areas of science and technology.
Are there any tax implications on this award?: The Honorarium disbursed to the VAJRA Faculty is taxable as per the norms of Government of India as applicable in such collaborative research visits.
Is it permissible for an eligible person to be a foreign faculty in two applications from different host institutions?: More than one application can be submitted. But in the event of selection at a time only one application will be entertained.
Can the other Indian Collaborator be from a different Institute?: We welcome collaborations from multiple Institutes. But the physical presence of VAJRA Faculty in the host Institute is to be ensured.
What is the duration of VAJRA Award?: VAJRA Fellowship will be initially for a duration of 1 year. Three months physical presence of VAJRA faculty is expected in a year. It can be renewed further based on the Collaborative Interest and recommendations of a committee, constituted for this purpose.
What is the nature and support provided for the visit of Indian Faculty to VAJRA Faculty Institute?: One research visit by the Indian host to the Institute of the VAJRA Faculty for a period not less than a week and not exceeding 30 days will be supported. The board will provide return economy airfare, not exceeding ₹1.5 lakh, per-diem, and accommodation as per the existing norms of the Board.
What is the nature and support provided for the visit of Doctoral/PostDoctoral Students from the lab of Indian Lead Collaborator to VAJRA Faculty Institute?: Collaborative research visit of not more than 2 students, doctoral, preferably co-advised by the VAJRA faculty/ post-doctoral level after 2 years of engagement from the research group of Indian host to the Institute of the VAJRA Faculty for a duration of three to six months will be supported. The board will provide a return economy airfare, a one-time contingency grant of ₹60,000/- and fellowship equivalent to the norms of the Board.

Official links

References

Official Website: https://www.vajra-india.in/
DST Website: https://dst.gov.in/vajra
Scheme Details: https://serb.gov.in/page/research_networking#Visiting%20Advanced%20Joint%20Research%20(VAJRA)%20Faculty%20Scheme

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Eligibility for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Benefits under Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Applications for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Income certificate requirements may vary depending on beneficiary category, subsidy eligibility, and financial assistance criteria defined under Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme.
Is Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme a central government scheme?: Yes, Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
Can students apply for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Eligible students studying in recognised institutions may apply for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme depending on educational qualification, category, income limit, and academic eligibility.
Is scholarship amount provided under Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme may provide scholarship assistance, tuition support, educational reimbursement, or financial aid for eligible students.
Can CSC centres help users apply for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
Are there deadlines for applying to Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Some schemes may operate through fixed application windows, annual registration cycles, or department-specific deadlines depending on scheme implementation policies.
Can beneficiaries track application status for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme?: Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
Where can users get help for Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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 Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme 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.