ICAR Guidelines For Netaji Subhas International Fellowship : Indian Council of Agricultural Research

1. Objectives :

In its continued efforts towards enhancing and sustaining the standards, quality and relevance of higher agricultural education in the country, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) here-in-after, referred as the Council, has instituted International Fellowships with dual purpose of (i) human resource development in cutting edge technologies, and (ii) demonstrating the strength of Indian agricultural system abroad. The objective is to develop competent human resource that are trained in the identified best laboratories in the world (for Indian candidates) and similarly expose overseas candidates to the best Indian Agricultural Universities (AUs) in the ICAR-AU system (comprising of State Agricultural Universities, Central Agricultural University Imphal, ICAR-Deemed Universities, Allahabad Agricultural Institute-DU, Central Universities having agricultural faculty) for creating a pool of scientist-envoys for enhanced future co-operation.

2. Title :

The fellowship is named as “Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship (NS- ICAR IF)” and the awardee will be called “NS-ICAR International Fellow”.

3. Purpose :

The NS-ICAR IFs are available to support Indian/ Overseas nationals for pursuing doctoral degree in agriculture and allied sciences, in the identified priority areas, to the
** Indian candidates for study abroad in the identified overseas Universities/Institutions having strong research and teaching capabilities and
** Overseas candidates for study in the best Indian AUs in the ICAR-AUs system.

4. Location :

For study in the identified institutions having strong research and teaching capabilities and adequate strength in terms of faculty and infrastructure facilities, the NS ICAR-IFs are tenable at:
** identified overseas institutions in case of Indian candidates and
** identified Indian Agricultural Universities (AUs) from ICAR-AU system in India in case of overseas candidates.

5. Tenure of Fellowship :

5.1. The NS-ICAR IFs are available to Indian candidates as well as overseas candidates for a period of three years.
5.2. The tenure of fellowship will not be extended in any case, in so far as the Council support is concerned.
5.3. In case the fellow is not able to complete his/her degree during this period, he/she will use his/her own resources for completing the degree.
5.4. In case the fellow is not able to complete even after 2 years of the prescribed duration of the programme for which fellowship was sanctioned, the Council may take necessary steps, for the recovery of the fellowship paid.

6. Number of Fellowships :

Number of fellowships available every year for a programme leading to Ph.D. degree under this scheme will be thirty (30). The allocation of fellowships between Indian and Overseas candidates will depend upon the availability of good candidates in the identified priority areas.

7. Eligibility :

7.1. Master’s degree in agriculture/allied sciences with an Overall Grade Point Average (OGPA) 6.60 out of 10.0 or 65% marks or equivalent will be the eligibility requirement for the NS-ICAR IFs.
7.2. The fresh candidates should not be more than 35 years of age on the last date prescribed for receipt of applications. The upper age limit for in-service candidates will be 40 years on the last date for receipt of applications.
7.3. The notification for fellowship will contain the detailed eligibility requirements.
7.4. Netaji Subhas- ICAR IF would be available for both, fresh and in-service candidates. However, the fresh candidates should have completed their qualifying degree not more than two years before the specified date in the year of admission. The in-service candidates from India should be employed in the ICAR-AU system.
7.5. The Council will identify and announce the priority areas of research and the list of institutions for admission, one year in advance, for availing the Netaji Subhas- ICAR IFs.

8. Mode of Application :

8.1. The candidate should submit an application for the fellowship, on-line, in the prescribed format.
8.2. The area of study and the line of the proposed research work should be in the identified priority area relevant to Indian/Global agriculture as identified by the Council and the same shall be notified one year in advance.
8.3. The applicant shall provide two references along with their contact Email addresses, in support of his application, who may be directly contacted by the Council for obtaining comments in the prescribed format on his candidature. One of the two referees should preferably be his/her supervisor in the current occupation (if employed) and one who is an expert in the area and well acquainted with the candidate’s work.
8.4. The applicants for the ICAR-IF must obtain at their own level, an acceptance of their admission in the Ph.D. degree programmes with identified area of study at the identified Indian AUs in case of overseas applicants and the identified overseas institutions in case of Indian applicants. Such acceptance letters should preferably be enclosed with the application for the fellowship.
8.5. The candidates should satisfy themselves regarding admission and course requirements of the university before identifying these as a place of study.
8.6. Applications for NS-ICAR IFs will be invited on annual basis through announcements published in Indian national newspapers and the notification on ICAR website “icar.org.in”. Indian diplomatic missions in foreign countries will also be informed through e-mails.

9. Mode of Selection :

9.1. The candidates will be evaluated based on parameters/weighted scale thereby taking into account the relevance of the area of study, the proposed research plan, academic records, achievements and past work experience of the candidate.
9.2. The selection will be made on the basis of evaluation score and subsequent interview by a Selection Committee, constituted by the Council and duly empowered to judge the suitability of candidate with regard to the importance of the area of study and the proposed research plan. The Committee may also decide to conduct telephonic/teleconferencing interview for the purpose. The overseas candidates may even be interviewed by experts as identified by the Council who may be based in their home country.
9.3. The candidate should have clear record of good conduct all-through, duly certified by the Competent Authority of the University last attended or the present employer in case of in-service candidate.
9.4. At the time of interview, the applicants must furnish a letter of acceptance for their admission in the respective degree programme at the University.
9.5. The in-service Indian candidates must also furnish deputation approval by their respective Director of ICAR Institutes/Vice-Chancellor of Agricultural Universities.
9.6. Once selected, the candidates must register for the programme within one year from the date of issue of letter of fellowship award. In case of delay, the offer will get terminated automatically and no separate communication towards cancellation will be issued by the Council.

Author : Jency