Cabinet okays increase in number of research fellowships

The Union Cabinet today approved the implementation of a proposal for an increase in the number of Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) through the CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) in the country.

The JRF-NET is aimed at identifying, through this national competitive examination, talented students who could be enrolled for Ph. D. programmes in specific domains across India's scientific and academic institutions.

It is also meant to identify those who fulfil the eligibility criteria for employment as lecturers across various academic institutions.

During the 10th Five Year Plan, the number of JRFs was doubled and a total of 6000 students benefited. In the XIth Plan, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) proposes to double this number again.

According to an official press release, the total cost of providing fellowships for about 12,000 students in the XIth Plan is estimated at Rs.444.34 crore.

The release said the proposed increase in intake and the attractive remuneration being offered would help in attracting talented youth to take up scientific research as a career and help address the issues related to shortage of scientific manpower in the country.

The biggest beneficiaries of this programme would be the University system and scientific institutions across India as they shall be able to attract bright minds for their scientific programmes/research. It will also benefit students from all over the country who are keen to take-up scientific research as a career, it said.

The programme will be implemented by the Human Resource Development Group of the CSIR, which conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) across the country in 25 cities and at 125 examination centres.

The JRF scheme was started in 1983. In 1989, the NET was recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a pre-qualification for lecturership and is now being conducted twice a year in June and December. It is conducted in five subject areas - Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematical Sciences. About 1,50,000 students appear for NET every year.

The decision to increase the number of fellowships has come in the wake of the serious concern expressed by educationalists, scientists, policymakers and others over the declining interest shown by students in taking up careers in basic sciences.

NNN