Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research – Supporting Industry-Oriented PhD Scholars

Higher education and research play a pivotal role in the economic and technological development of a nation. Recognizing the importance of fostering high-quality research with practical relevance, the Government of India, through the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has introduced the Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research (PMF-D). This public-private partnership (PPP) initiative is designed to support doctoral scholars in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine.

The scheme aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application, ensuring that PhD-level research not only advances scientific knowledge but also addresses real-world challenges with commercial potential. By providing a double scholarship of up to ₹6,00,000 per annum, jointly funded by the government and sponsoring industries, the PM Fellowship Scheme incentivizes high-quality research while encouraging collaboration between academia and industry. This initiative represents a landmark effort to promote innovation-driven doctoral research, strengthen industry-academia linkages, and develop a cadre of technically skilled researchers capable of contributing to India’s socio-economic development.

Dates and Implementation Timeline

The PM Fellowship Scheme is designed to accommodate varying PhD enrollment timelines across Indian universities and institutes. Key aspects of the timeline include:

• Eligibility Window for Application: Candidates must have been enrolled or admitted to a PhD program within the last 14 months from the date of application submission. This timeframe accounts for differences in university regulations regarding the period allowed for final registration after initial enrollment.
• Open-Ended Applications: The scheme allows for continuous submission of applications, enabling doctoral fellows to apply once they have secured an industry partnership.
• Selection and MOU Signing: Selected candidates, their respective industry partners, and institutes are expected to formalize Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) by March of each year.
• Disbursement of Fellowship: Approved fellowship amounts are released from April of each year on a monthly basis for the duration of the research project.
• Research Duration: Each fellowship supports doctoral research for a maximum of four years, culminating in the award of the PhD degree.

This flexible yet structured approach ensures that doctoral candidates from diverse institutions and disciplines can participate without being constrained by rigid timelines.

Objectives of the Scheme

The Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research was conceived with multiple objectives aimed at fostering research excellence and industrial collaboration. These objectives include:

1. Supporting High-Quality Research: To provide financial and technical support to meritorious doctoral scholars pursuing research with strong scientific merit.
2. Promoting Industry-Academia Collaboration: To strengthen partnerships between doctoral researchers and industry, ensuring that research outputs have practical relevance and commercial potential.
3. Encouraging Innovation: To incentivize research projects that demonstrate innovation, technical sophistication, and the potential to generate new products, services, or business opportunities.
4. Providing Financial Security: To support doctoral scholars with a double scholarship of up to ₹6,00,000 per annum, ensuring that talented researchers can focus fully on their work without financial concerns.
5. Facilitating Industrial Exposure: To encourage doctoral fellows to engage with industry as needed during their research tenure, gaining practical insights and experience.
6. Accelerating India’s Technological Advancement: By supporting applied research in science, technology, engineering, agriculture, and medicine, the scheme contributes to the nation’s competitiveness and innovation ecosystem.
7. Creating a Skilled Research Workforce: To develop a cadre of doctoral graduates who are not only academically proficient but also capable of translating research into commercial and societal impact.

Key Features of the Scheme

The PM Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research is uniquely designed to integrate academic rigor with industrial relevance. Its key features include:

1. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model: The fellowship is jointly funded by the government and industry partners, reinforcing the collaboration between academia and the industrial sector.
2. Double Scholarship Support: Doctoral fellows receive up to ₹6,00,000 per annum, with 50% funded by SERB (Government) and the remaining 50% contributed by the sponsoring industry.
3. Eligibility Across Disciplines: Research is supported in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine, ensuring broad applicability.
4. Industrial Relevance: Research topics must demonstrate practical relevance and potential for commercialization, ensuring that projects contribute to both scientific advancement and industrial development.
5. Mentorship and Guidance: Scholars receive technical and intellectual support from industry partners throughout the research tenure.
6. Research Duration: Each fellowship covers a period of up to four years, with the goal of completing the doctoral research and awarding the PhD degree.
7. Merit-Based Selection: Candidates and their proposed research projects are evaluated for technical merit, scientific excellence, and relevance, ensuring a high standard of research output.
8. Flexibility in University Regulations: Candidates can apply within 14 months of PhD enrollment, accommodating varying university rules on registration timelines.
9. Maximum of 100 Projects Supported Annually: To maintain quality and ensure adequate support, the scheme funds up to 100 research projects each year.

Scholarship Amount

The fellowship provides financial support designed to meet the cost of living and research-related expenses for doctoral scholars. Details include:

• Total Fellowship Amount: Up to ₹6,00,000 per annum per doctoral fellow
• Government Contribution (SERB): ₹3,00,000 per annum (equivalent to JRF/SRF norms, inclusive of HRA)
• Industry Contribution: Matching ₹3,00,000 per annum from the sponsoring industry
• Payment Schedule: Released monthly from April each year after approval
• Duration: Up to four years, contingent on satisfactory progress and adherence to project milestones
• Exclusive Support: Fellows cannot receive other scholarships or salaries from alternate sources during the PM Fellowship tenure

The double scholarship model ensures financial stability for scholars while simultaneously fostering accountability and commitment to both academic and industrial objectives.

Eligibility Criteria

To participate in the PM Fellowship Scheme, candidates must fulfill specific eligibility requirements:

1. Joint Application: Applications must be submitted jointly by one doctoral fellow and one industry partner, with the doctoral fellow as the primary applicant.
2. PhD Enrollment: The doctoral fellow must have enrolled or been admitted to a recognized Indian University, Institute, or Research Laboratory within the last 14 months from the application submission date.
3. No Objection Certificate (NOC): The fellow must obtain a No Objection Certificate from their academic institution before applying.
4. Industry Partnership: The applicant must identify an industry partner willing to provide financial support and technical mentorship for the project.
5. Research Areas: The project must be in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, or Medicine and demonstrate practical relevance and industrial application.
6. Technical Merit: Both the candidate and the research topic should meet standards of scientific and technical excellence.
7. Industry Engagement: Fellows must be willing to work in or with the sponsoring industry as required during the research period.
8. Duration: The proposed research should not exceed four years, culminating in a PhD.

These criteria ensure that the fellowship attracts highly capable scholars committed to generating industrially relevant knowledge.

Reservation Policy

The PM Fellowship Scheme focuses primarily on merit, technical excellence, and industry relevance rather than caste, gender, or regional quotas. However, institutional and industry partnerships may apply internal guidelines or affirmative action policies as relevant for their projects.

The scheme emphasizes:

• Merit-Based Selection: Only candidates and projects demonstrating outstanding technical merit are selected.
• Industrial Collaboration: Priority is given to projects with strong engagement and support from industry partners.

Distribution of Scholarships

The fellowship is distributed in a structured manner to ensure transparency and accountability:

1. Joint Funding: 50% of the fellowship is provided by SERB and 50% by the sponsoring industry.
2. Monthly Disbursement: Approved funds are released monthly to the doctoral fellow’s account, covering both stipend and research-related expenses.
3. Project-Based Allocation: Each fellowship is tied to a specific research project with predefined objectives, milestones, and deliverables.
4. Number of Projects: Up to 100 fellowships are awarded per year to maintain quality and provide focused support.
5. Conditional Release: Funds are contingent on formal signing of MOUs among the doctoral fellow, industry partner, and academic institution.
6. Exclusive Funding: Fellows are not allowed to draw any other scholarships or salaries during the fellowship period.

Application Process (Step-by-Step)

The application process for the PM Fellowship Scheme is entirely online, ensuring accessibility and streamlined submission. Steps include:

Step 1: Identify Industry Partner

• Secure an industry co-applicant willing to provide financial and technical support for the research project.

Step 2: Obtain No Objection Certificate (NOC)

• Obtain a NOC from the academic institution confirming eligibility and support for the proposed research.

Step 3: Online Application

• Submit the application via the official PM Fellowship portal, providing detailed project description, research objectives, and information about both the doctoral fellow and industry partner.

Step 4: Review and Shortlisting

• Applications are evaluated by a high-level Apex Council, consisting of members from academia, government, and industry.

Step 5: Selection Notification

• Selected candidates are announced on the PM Fellowship portal.

Step 6: Signing of MOUs

• Fellows, industry partners, and institutions formalize the Memorandums of Understanding by March each year.

Step 7: Disbursement of Fellowship

• Fellowship amount is released monthly from April, ensuring timely financial support throughout the research duration.

Selection Process & Broad Criteria

The Apex Council reviews applications based on a combination of academic, technical, and industrial criteria:

• Innovation and Scientific Merit: Projects should demonstrate discrete, high-value R&D rather than exploratory investigations.
• Commercial Potential: Research should have potential for business opportunities and commercialization.
• Credibility and Capacity: Assessment of the doctoral fellow’s and institution’s research capability.
• Industrial Collaboration: Extent of involvement and support from the sponsoring industry.
• Relevance: Alignment of research objectives with industry needs and societal impact.

This rigorous selection ensures that only highly promising projects are awarded fellowships.

Renewal Policy

The PM Fellowship is tied to the duration of the research project (up to four years). Renewal is conditional upon:

• Progress Review: Satisfactory annual or semester-wise review of research milestones.
• Industrial Engagement: Continued collaboration with the sponsoring industry.
• Institutional Approval: Endorsement from the academic institution confirming ongoing enrollment and research progress.

Withdraw Policy

• Discontinuation: Fellows may withdraw voluntarily, subject to returning any unused funds.
• Non-Compliance: Fellowship may be revoked if the candidate fails to maintain progress or adhere to institutional or industrial agreements.
• Reallocation: Funds from discontinued projects may be reallocated to other eligible candidates.

Impact and Importance of the PM Fellowship Scheme

The PM Fellowship Scheme has transformative potential for India’s research ecosystem:

• Fostering Industry-Oriented Research: Aligns academic research with industrial needs.
• Encouraging Innovation: Promotes development of commercially viable products and solutions.
• Developing Skilled PhD Graduates: Produces researchers capable of bridging academic and industrial sectors.
• Strengthening Academia-Industry Links: Encourages long-term collaboration and knowledge transfer.
• Boosting National Competitiveness: Supports research that contributes to India’s scientific and economic advancement.