VAIBHAV Fellowships for Indian scientists living abroad; Eligibility, mode of application

NEW DELHI: The recently announced VAIBHAV Fellowship seeks to improve the research ecosystem of India’s higher educational and scientific institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian institutions and the “best institutions in the world” through mobility of faculty and researchers from overseas institutions to India. The registration dates have not been announced yet.

The fellowship offers non-resident Indian (NRI), persons of Indian origin (PIO) and overseas citizen of India (OCI) researchers, currently living abroad an opportunity to work for a minimum of one month to a maximum of two months a year with a research institution or an academic institution in India. The duration of the VAIBHAV fellowship is three years and the government will offer the fellowship holders an amount of up to Rs 37 lakh for the entire period.

Eligibility to register for Scientists

1. The applicant should be NRI, PIO or OCI, currently living abroad.

2. The applicant must have obtained PhD, MD or MS degree from a recognised university.

3. Applicant must be a researcher engaged in an overseas academic, research, industrial organisation with proven track record of research and development working in the top 500 QS World University Ranking.

4. Plan to pursue research work for minimum of one month to a maximum of two months a year in a research institution or academic institution in India, spread over three years.

5. Applicants can submit their proposal only once in a calendar year.

As per the eligibility criteria for institutions, the higher educational institutions or the university must be ranked in the top 200 in NIRF overall rankings and have a NAAC ‘A” grade (3.0 and above) and scientific institutes.

The host institute will get Rs 10 lakh per year for hosting the scientist and providing office and lab accommodation and facilitation for various infrastructure support.

Selection and Mode of Application

• The call for applications for VAIBHAV Fellowship will be notified through DST website -- dst.gov.in.
• Applications would be invited twice in a year, ending on July 31 and January 31.
• The application form along with a research proposal highlighting the objectives of the research work to be undertaken should be submitted online.
• The applicant must identify an Indian institution, university, research laboratory for carrying out his research.
• The selection will be based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee that will be constituted by the DST.