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Financial Support
Tenth Plan
Guidelines

 

Financial Support

Guidelines for Junior Research Fellowship in Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences

Introduction | Objectives | Eligibility / Target | Nature of Assistance Available Under the Scheme | Procedure for Applying for the Scheme | Procedure for Approval by the UGC< | Procedure for Release of Grants | Procedure for Monitoring the Progress of the Scheme | Other Conditions | Cancellation of Award | Annexures |

1. Introduction

The Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) scheme of the University Grants Commission (UGC) is open to candidates who qualify in the National Education Testing (NET) of the UGC and the UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) joint test. However, please note that these are qualifying tests only and do not bestow a fellowship upon the candidate.

2. Objectives

The objective of the JRF scheme is to provide opportunities to NET-qualified candidates to undertake advanced studies and research leading to M.Phil./Ph.D. degrees in humanities and social sciences, including languages and sciences.

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3. Eligibility/Target

Target Group : Candidates who have qualified in NET or the UGC-CSIR joint tests.

Eligibility: Candidates who have qualified in NET or the UGC-CSIR joint test. However, the selection for the JRF is made by the universities/institutions/departments.

4. Nature of Assistance Available Under the Scheme

The tenure of fellowship is initially for two years under the JRF scheme. Upon expiry of this period, the work of the Fellow will be evaluated by experts. If the research work is found satisfactory, his/her tenure will be extended for a further period of three years under the enhanced emoluments of the Senior Research Fellowship (SRF). In case the work for the first two years is not found satisfactory, an additional year will be given to him/her for improvement. However, during this period he/she will be designated as a Junior Research Fellow. In such cases work will be evaluated again after three years, and if improvement is found, the Fellow will get two more years under the SRF. Thus, the total period of fellowship (JRF and SRF) is five years, with no further provision of extension.

    Fellowship

    @ Rs. 8000/- p.m. for initial two years

    @ Rs. 9000/- p.m. for remaining tenure

    Contingency A. Contingency B.

    @ Rs. 10000/- p.a. for initial two year

    @ Rs. 20500/- p.a. for remaining tenure

    @ Rs. 12000/- p.a. for initial two years

    @ Rs. 25000/-p.a. for remaining tenure

    Humanities & social sciencesSciences

    Departmental assistance

    @ Rs. 3000/- p.a. per student to the host institution for providing infrastructure

    Escorts/Readerassistance

    @ Rs. 2000/-p.m. in cases of physically handicapped & visually challenged candidates

House Rent Allowance: Suitable single-seated hostel accommodation may be provided to the JRF candidate in the institutions. In case of non-availability, HRA as per rules of the university/institution will be paid to the Fellow subject to the submission of an HRA certificate through the registrar/principal. Junior Research Fellows provided with accommodation in a hostel recognised/maintained by the institutions may be reimbursed the hostel fee, excluding mess, electricity, water charges, etc. A certificate to this effect is to be furnished through the registrar/principal (Annexure I). If the Fellow makes his/her own arrangements of accommodation, he/she may be entitled to draw HRA as per categorisation of the cities by the Government of India. The Fellow will submit a certificate for the purpose to the UGC for claiming HRA through the concerned university/institution/colleges.

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Medical: No separate/fixed medical assistance is provided. However, the Fellow may avail of the medical facilities available in the the institution/university

Leave: JRFs are entitled for a maximum period of 30 days of leave in a year in addition to public holidays. They are not entitled to any other vacations. Women candidates are eligible for maternity leave of 135 days at full rates of fellowship once during the tenure of their award.

In special cases Junior Research Fellows may be allowed leave without fellowship by the Commission upto one academic year during the entire tenure of the award for accepting teaching assignments on a temporary basis, provided the assignment is in the same city/town. In other cases, leave without fellowship will be restricted to a period not exceeding three months during the tenure of the award on the recommendations of the supervisor and the institution. The period of leave without fellowship will be counted towards the total tenure of the award. JRF/SRFs are advised to apply for leave through universities/institutions/colleges well in advance for the approval of the Commission.

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5. Procedure for Applying for the Scheme

Only those candidates who qualify UGC-NET or UGC-CSIR joint NET for Junior Research Fellowship are eligible to apply for fellowship under the scheme. They will have to apply for Research Fellowship to the Universities/Institutions recognized under Section 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act. The selection is made as per the rules of respective Universities/ Institutions.

6. Procedure for Approval by the UGC

  • The award of JRFs is made to candidates by the universities/institutions on the basis of UGC-CSIR/NET examinations for admissions to Ph.D., including M.Phil.

  • The candidate must get himself/herself registered for M.Phil./Ph.D. at the first available opportunity but not later then within a period of two years from the date of issue of Eligibility Certificate of UGC NET/UGC-CSIR examinations. This period is not extendable. However, the actual payment of fellowship will be made with effect from the Date of Joining only, after the Registration for M.Phil./Ph.D. course.

  • The fellowship is made available to the candidate from the date of joining as JRF within a period of two years from the date of issue of Eligibility Certificate of NET examination only.

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7. Procedure for Release of Grant

On receipt of the Joining Report in the prescribed pro forma (Annexure II) and JRF eligibility certificate from the University/Institution, the UGC office will accept the candidature of the Fellow and will release the first installment of admissible grants to the Institution/ University on a yearly basis, from the date of joining.

The University/Institution may pay the fellowship amount to the Fellows out of the grant paid in lump sum by the Commission for the purpose in accordance with the rules, to avoid any hardship to the fellows, due to delay in payment to them. The next installment of fellowship grant will be released to the University/ Institute/College on receipt of the complete Utilization Certificate and Statement of Expenditure of the previous grant released by the UGC for the purpose, duly signed by the competent authority (Registrar/Finance Officer in case of Universities, and Principal in case of College) (Annexures III, IV, V & VII of the guideline).

In special cases the Commission may place a JRF in an institution not covered by the UGC Act if the institution concerned agrees to provide all the infrastructure for the research of the Fellow and to meet all expenditure out of departmental assistance as per rules. The Commission in such cases will either provide advance funds to such institutions and accept a Utilisation Certificate/Statement of Expenditure duly signed by the JRF, countersigned by the head of the concerned institution, or reimburse the expenditure incurred in accordance with the rules.

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8. Procedure for Monitoring the Progress of the Scheme

The performance of the Junior or Senior Research Fellow is monitored by their respective supervisor/guide and reflected in the yearly progress report submitted to the university for submission to the UGC office.

Annexure VI

On completion of first two years of the award, the Fellow may apply to the department/university concerned for up-gradation to Senior Research Fellowship (SRF). For this purpose, a three-member Committee consisting of the Supervisor, Head of Department and one Outside Expert of the concerned subject will be constituted by the Institution to evaluate the research work done by the Fellow. On Recommendations/Comments of the Committee, the Fellow will be upgraded to the level of SRF and his fellowship amount will be accordingly enhanced with the approval of the UGC.

The concerned departments are expected to monitor the work of the Fellow continuously. He/she shall not accept or hold any position, paid or otherwise, or receive emoluments, salary, stipend, etc. from other sources during the tenure of the award.

The fellowship may be terminated at any time during the tenure and the decision of the Commission will be final and binding. The tenure of the fellowship is for five years from the date of joining, subject to satisfactory progress report of the Fellow or submission of Ph.D. thesis, whichever is earlier. No extension is permissible beyond the total tenure of five years and the awardee ceases to be a UGC JRF/SRF immediately after expiry of the due date. Any claim/reference to this effect will be illegal and the individual may have to face disciplinary action for such an act.

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9. Other Conditions

The Fellow, with the consent of the guide/head of department, may assist the university/institution in its academic work, including tutorials, evaluation of the test papers, laboratory demonstration, supervision of fieldwork, library activities like group seminars and symposia, provided such work is not likely to hinder the research programmes on hand. The total amount of time to be spent on such activities should not exceed ten hours a week.

Transfer of fellowship

The Fellow will be permitted to transfer the fellowship from one University/ Institution to another University/Intuition under special circumstances with prior approval of the UGC on the basis of "No Objection Certificate from both Universities/Institution. However, the Fellow shall be relieved by the previous University/Institution only after his accounts are settled and unspent balance if any, refunded to the UGC.

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10. Cancellation of Award

The fellowship is liable to cancellation, in case of:

  • Misconduct

  • unsatisfactory progress of research work/failure in any examination related to M.Phil./Ph.D.; or

  • he/she is found ineligible later

11. Annexures

 

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Complete Guideline (455 KB)

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