Junior Research Fellowship JRF (NET)

Human Resource Development Group
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
GENERAL
The EMR Division under HRD Group of CSIR provide CSIR Research Fellowship and Associateships to bright young men and women for training in methods of research under the expert guidance of faculty members /scientists working in University Departments/ National Laboratories and Institutes in various fields of Science & Technology and Medical Sciences. List of CSIR Laboratories is at Annexure- I.

The CSIR Fellowships / Associateships are tenable in Universities/IITs/Post-Graduate Colleges/Government Research Establishments including those of CSIR, R&D establishments of recognized public or private sector, industrial firms and other recognized institutions. However, CSIR reserves the right to determine the place best suited to provide necessary facilities in the area of science and technology in which the awardee is to specialize.

The CSIR Fellowships / Associatships are tenable in India. Only bonafide Indian citizens, residing in India are eligible for the award of research Fellowship/Associateships. The programme is aimed at National Human Resource Development for S&T.

The award of CSIR Fellowship / Associateships is for fixed tenure and does not imply any assurance or guarantee for subsequent employment by CSIR to the beneficiary. The authority to award / terminate vests with CSIR. The awardee shall not lay claim to permanent absorption in CSIR, after the expiry of Fellowship / Associateship.

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
Preference is given to a subject / topic of research relevant to the research programmes of CSIR laboratories and nationally important S&T areas.

CSIR JUNIOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP (JRF)
A certain number of JRFs are awarded each year by CSIR to those holding MSc or equivalent degree, with minimum 55% marks after qualifying the National Eligibility Test ( NET) conducted by CSIR twice in a year
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applications for JRF are invited twice a year through press advertisement on all India basis in the prescribed application form. The completed application form may be submitted to the Controller of Examinations, Examination Unit, CSIR Complex, Library Avenue, Pusa, New Delhi –110 012.
AGE LIMIT
The upper age limit for JRF shall be 28 years, which is relaxed upto 5 years in the case of candidates belonging to Schedule Castes/Schedule Tribes, Women, Physically Handicapped and OBC applicants.
SELECTION PROCDURE
The Selection for award of JRF shall be made on the basis of a competitive written test called the National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by CSIR at national level and consisting of two papers.
Paper – 1 is objective type consisting of Part (A) general nature and part (B) is subject type. It tests the mental ability and broad awareness of scientific knowledge at the rudimentary level.

The second paper is to be selected from the amongst
(1) Chemical Sciences (2) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences (3) Life Sciences, (4) Mathematical Sciences and (5) Physical Sciences.
The second paper requires short descriptive answers to questions. Usually examinations are held for a day on the third Sunday in June and December, each year.

The candidates who qualify in the test are informed individually after the result is finalized. The Fellowship is awarded on receipt of necessary details of the qualifying degree examination, place of work, research topic, the name of supervisor and the concurrence of the Institution to provide all the necessary facilities. The validity of the offer of this award will be one year. The candidate is expected to register for PhD degree within a period of one year from the date of joining.
Undertaking by a Research Fellow / Associate on Acceptance of the Award of Research Fellowship / Associateship
STIPEND & TENURE
i. The stipend of a JRF selected through the all India test will be Rs 8000/ p.m for a period of 2 years. In addition, annual contingent grant of Rs. 20,000/- per fellow will be provided to the University / Institution. The guidelines for utilization of contingent grant are given in Anneuxre – II
ii. On Completion of two years as JRF, the stipend may be increased to Rs. 9000/- p.m for the 3rd and subsequent year, on the basis of assessment of Fellows’ research progress/ achievements through interview by an Expert Committee consisting of the Guide, Head of the Department and External Member from outside the University/ Institution who is an expert in the relevant field, not below the rank of Professor/ Associate Professor. As far as possible the External Member should be the chairman of 3 members Committee. Where the guide happens to be the Head of the Department, the Dean, Faculty of Science or any senior member of the Department may be associated as the third member of the Committee (Annexure III). On upgradation, the designation of JRF will be changed to SRF (NET). In the event of the Committee not recommending upgradation the candidate will continue as JRF with a stipend of Rs 8000/- p.m for the 3rd year or his fellowship may be terminated depending upon the decision of the Committee. The progress of research work of JRF will be assessed again at the end of 3rd year for such upgradation.

It is expected that Fellows will have published work to their credit by the end of 3rd year. This shall form an important quantitative and qualitative criterion for judging the progress made by the candidate. If the work of JRF is still not found satisfactory for upgradation, the fellowship will be terminated. Extension of tenure of SRF (NET) for the 4th year will be on the basis of the progress report and recommendation of the guide. The 5th year extension as SRF(NET) is permissible on the recommendation of three members assessment Committee and progress report duly supported by publications in the form of reprints/preprints/manuscripts of the paper published, accepted or communicated for publication (Annexure IV).

The total tenure as JRF plus SRF(NET) will not exceed five years. This will include the tenure of Fellowship awarded by UGC/DST/ICMR/ICAR etc or any other funding agency/Institution. The order for continuation at the same rate of stipend as SRF(NET), continuation at the same rate of stipend as JRF or otherwise will be issued by the EMR Division of HRDG, CSIR. Extension may not also be granted if the fellow does not acknowledge support of CSIR in his research publication.