M K BHAN Young Researcher Fellowship Programme (MKB-YRFP)

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, has launched a new grant opportunity, the M K BHAN – Young Researcher Fellowship Programme (MKB-YRFP), with an aim to encourage young bright researchers to continue their research in the country after Ph.D. 

About MKB-YRFP

The M K BHAN – Young Researcher Fellowship Programme (MKB-YRFP) scheme is to offer an independent research grant to young Post-Doctoral Fellows, so as to enable them to emerge as future leaders and take up cutting edge research focused on issues of national relevance. This fellowship will be awarded for research work to be carried out at DBT Autonomous Institutes only.

The aim of the fellowship is to:

• To provide attractive opportunities to young researchers for developing them as independent investigators
• This will enable young researchers to pursue their research interests within the country and also develop a critical mass of trained scientists for the country’s research institutions, universities and a major new initiative

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant should be Indian National and possess a Ph.D. in any branch of Life Sciences/ Biotechnology/allied areas.
• Applicant should not be holding a permanent position in any institute/university.
• The applicant should have an excellent track record as evident by peer-reviewed publications, technologies developed, patent (if any). Those who have submitted their Ph.D. are also eligible to apply; however, fellowship can be implemented only after the award of the degree. Applicant should not take-up fellowship at the Institute where he/she has done his/her Ph.D. 
• Each applicant must identify a host institute and a mentor.
• The upper age limit will be 35 years as on the closing date of the submission of the application.
• Applicants cannot have more than one fellowship at a given point of time.
• The application has to be routed through a host institute (DBT Autonomous Institute) chosen by the applicant to take up the fellowship and has to be signed by both, the mentor and head of the institution.
• In case a fellow is offered a permanent job, he/she can avail only either the fellowship or the salary.
• The fellowship is co-terminus with the project duration.

Nature of Support

• The scheme provides a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs. 75000 p.m.
• MKB-YRFP fellows in addition will receive a research/contingency grant of Rs. 20 lakhs per year for hiring manpower, purchase of consumables, minor equipment, domestic travel and other contingent expenditure to be incurred for the implementation of research proposal selected for the fellowship.
• Can engage one manpower (JRF/SRF/Project Assistant/Project Associate) under him/her.
• Capital equipment will be procured in the name of the institute where the fellow proposes to work and value of the whole set of the equipment should not exceed Rs. 10 lakhs.
• MKB-YRFP fellows will be eligible for a regular research grant through extramural and other schemes of various S&T agencies of the Government of India, provided that Co-PI is a regular faculty. However, they can take research grant from anywhere but salary from only one source.

Place of Work

• MKB-YRFP fellows can take up the Young Investigator grant at any of the DBT Autonomous Institutions. However, the application should be duly forwarded by the competent authority of the host Institute. Fellows can change their host institute only once during the tenure of the fellowship with the prior No Objection Certificate from the host institute who has forwarded the application (Director/Registrar). New institute proposed for change also has to be a DBT Autonomous Institute.
• Candidate should submit his/her nomination through single host institute only. However, institutions can nominate more than one candidate.

Duration of Fellowship

The duration of the fellowship will be for a period of three years and in exceptional cases, the duration could be extended by another two years on a fresh appraisal.

Application

Eligible applicants should submit the application as per prescribed proforma to DBT duly forwarded by the Host Institute where they intend to take up the fellowship. 

Mode of Selection

A national-level selection committee constituted by the Department of Biotechnology for the purpose will select the final candidates for MKB-YRFP.

Financial Support

Other Conditions

• A letter from the mentor, giving consent to provide laboratory space where the applicant desires to work, should be enclosed with the application. The laboratory should be able to support the major needs of the project.
• Fellows are not entitled to any kind of salary during the fellowship. If during the fellowship, the fellow finds regular employment in DBT AIs or receives any other fellowship, he/she should immediately inform to the DBT. In that case, the fellow has an option for taking either salary or fellowship at a given point of time. However, he/she can continue to avail a research grant for the remaining duration of the fellowship. If fellow accepts a permanent position in other than DBT AIs, he/she needs to opt-out of the MKB-YRFP fellowship.
• The financial transactions of the award programme will be to be handled by the host institute, which will be responsible for submitting the Utilization Certificate (UC) and Statement of Expenditure (SE) every financial year.
• Each Institute will be sanctioned a consolidated budget for the number of fellows selected for each Institute. Budget will include the Fellowship amount and Contingency/Research Grant.
• The awardees will be the corresponding author for any publication emanating as a result of the research carried out on account of the award. The mentor and others could be co-authors. The support of DBT should be suitably acknowledged in the publications (papers, reports etc.) arising out of the research work done under this award programme.
• The fellow will submit an annual progress report through Host Institute.
• Institute will constitute an Expert Review Committee to review the scientific work done by the fellow and submit minutes of the Review Committee to the DBT along with UC/SE.

Source: Department of Biotechnology (DBT)