In an endeavor to draw brilliant students towards research, the Government of India unveiled the Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme in 2018. This unique platform offers meritorious students direct admission into the prestigious Ph.D programmes at educational powerhouses like IITs, IISERs and IISc. The scheme has been thoughtfully designed to encourage talented young minds to undertake research in advanced science and technology areas, with a prominent emphasis on national priorities.
A Glance at the PMRF Scheme
The PMRF Scheme is open to students who have either completed or are in the final year of their four year undergraduate or five year integrated M.Tech or five year integrated M.Sc. or five year undergraduate-postgraduate dual degree programmes or two year M.Sc. programmes in Science and Technology streams from IIEST/IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs, centrally funded IIITs or any other Institute / University recognized in India.
Eligible students are given a golden opportunity to enroll in full time Ph.D. programme in institutions like IISc, IISERs and IITs. To support them financially, a fellowship of Rs.70,000/- per month for the first two years, Rs.75,000/- per month for the third year, and Rs.80,000/- per month in the fourth and fifth years is provided. This isn’t all, an additional research grant of Rs.2.00 lakh per year is extended to each Fellow for a period of 5 years to cover academic and travel expenses.
Eligibility and Review Process
In a promising move, the PMRF Scheme has now been made accessible to eligible students from all recognized institutions/universities in India. However, continuation of fellowship from one year to the next is not guaranteed. It will involve a strict performance review of the Fellowship holders, and only those who successfully pass will be eligible for continued support.
| Fellowship Amounts | Duration |
|---|---|
| Rs.70,000/- per month | First Two Years |
| Rs.75,000/- per month | Third Year |
| Rs.80,000/- per month | Fourth and Fifth Year |
Promoting Research through Various Initiatives
Besides the PMRF, various other initiatives have been conceptualized to attract highly skilled researchers and scientists to pursue their R&D interests in Indian Institutions. Some of these include the CV Raman Post-Doctoral Fellowship Scheme by University Grants Commission (UGC), Ramanujan Fellowship, JC Bose Fellowship, Young Scientist Project Award, Women Scientist Scheme by Department of Science & Technology (DST). The Global Initiative for Academic Network (GIAN) launched by MHRD, aims to enhance India’s existing academic resources by tapping into the talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs from abroad, including those of Indian origin.