PMRF Scheme 2021 Revised Eligibility, Prime Minister Research Fellowship 2021 admission criteria changed to allow more scholars: HRD

Now, Candidates Can Apply For The Scholarships Through Two Modes – Direct And Lateral. Further, There Is A Change In Institutes That Are Eligible To Provide These Scholarships.

Union HRD Ministry Announced Some Amendments in PMRF Scheme – Know About GATE Score Requirements, GCPA Requirements, Eligibility and how to Apply to PMRF here.

The Human Resource and Development Ministry has announced some changes in the Prime Minister Research Fellowship, PMRF. The aim of the step is to increase the number of students or applicants tp pursue researches in India’s Prestigious Institutes. The research processes extend up to facilities of IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs and many other central universities in the country.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has made several changes in the Prime Minister Research Fellowship (PMRF). The aim is to increase the number of students who pursue research in the prestigious national institutes. The PMRF extends the research facilities of IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs and central universities to Master’s level students from any Indian institute. Now, candidates can apply for the scholarships through two modes — direct and lateral.

Application Process for Prime Minister’s Research Fellows Scheme 2021

The interested candidates can apply for the fellowship scheme by visiting the official website.
In the application form, the candidates will have to provide their personal and academic information.
Apart from this, details about the project that the candidates are undertaking or are going to undertake will also be asked in the form.
After providing the details as asked, the candidates can make submission of their application form online.
An application fee of Rs. 1000/- (expectedly) should also be submitted along with the application form.

PMRF 2021 How to Apply

The candidates must visit the official website pmrf.in.
The candidates ate supposed to click on the form link provided on the homepage
You are required to fill the form, provide Aadhaar card details and other documents as may be asked in the application form
The fee payment has to be done through online mode
Fill the form and submit it and save a copy for future reference

In addition to those who have completed MTech degree or are pursuing PhD, candidates who are in the final year of bachelor’s in science and technology stream can also apply for the PMRF. The applicants should have a CGPA of at least 8.0 to be eligible to apply. Those who have scored a score of 650 or above in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) are also eligible to apply.

Those Pursuing MTech./MS by Research at one of the PMRF Granting Institutes with at least CGPA of 8.0 as best of four subjects are also eligible.

Candidate Pursuing PhD in one of the PMRF Granting Institutions who have completed at most 12 months in the PhD. Candidates who joined the course with a master’s degree should have completed 24 months in the PhD programme. Those who joined the PhD programme with a bachelor’s degree need to likewise complete at least four courses in the PhD programme with CGPA of 8.5 or above, as per the norms.

Additionally, a lateral mode of entry is also available for those who are already pursuing PhD programs in one of the PMRF granting institutes. This is applicable for students who have been selected through the normal mode of admission ( and not PMRF exam) but have a strong recommendation from the institute based on the merit of their research.

“The metrics on which the candidates will be judged will include (but not restricted to) research exposure, publications, performance in international academic competitions, grades and recommendation letters,” as per the official notice.

PMRF 2021 Revised Eligibility

Important requirements for Lateral Entry Channel:

The candidates must be pursuing a PhD in one of the PMRF granting institutes. He/she must also have completed 12 months in their PhD programme they have joined along with the master’s degree.
The PhD programme must be completed in 24 months had he/she joined it along with the Bachelor’s programme. He/ she also must have completed 4 courses in PhD programme with CGPA of more than 8.5.
If the PMRF granting institute makes a strong recommendation for the candidate ad uploads it on the PMRF portal
The candidates have to make a strong research proposal, publication and grades would also be given weightage.

Important Requirements for Direct Entry Channel

The candidate must have either completed or must be pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Science and Technology with a CGPA of 8.0. He also must have a GATE score of 650 or above in his respective subject.
He could also be pursuing Mtech or MS in one of the PMRF institutes.
The candidates can apply and get selected for the PhD programme in the PMRF institutes
If the PMRF institute makes a strong recommendation for the candidate to award PMRF against his/her merit.
PMRF 2020: List of PMRF granting institutes

PMRF Fellowship Stipend

Selected candidates will get a fellowship of Rs 70,000 per month for the first two years, Rs 75,000 per month for the third year, and Rs 80,000 per month in the fourth and fifth year. Additionally, a research grant of Rs 2 lakh per year each will be provided for a period of five years to cover their academic contingency expenses and for foreign/national travel expenses.

Fellowship Reward Amount
The amount of fellowship that will be awarded to the candidates who get selected under the PMRF scheme are given below:

First year – INR 70000 per month
Second year – INR 70000 per month
Third year INR – 75000 per month
Fourth year INR – 80000 per month
Fifth year INR – 80000 per month

First to fifth year INR 200000 per year

PMRF 2021 Selection Process

The candidates will be selected for the fellowship award on the basis of parameters given below. However, the criterion of selection given below is not restricted and might include other parameters as well, depending on the decision of the selection committee.

For Direct Entry Channel:

Research exposure
Publication records
Performance in international academic competitions
Academic grades
Recommendation letters

For Lateral Entry Channel:

Strong research proposal
Publications record (due weightage will be given to publication in reputed journals/ conferences)
Academic grades

Brief Information About PMRF 2021

The Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme has been designed for improving the quality of research in various higher educational institutions in the country. With attractive fellowships, the scheme seeks to attract the best talent into research thereby realizing the vision of development through innovation. The scheme was announced in the Budget 2018-19. The institutes which can offer PMRF include all the IITs, all the IISERs, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and some of the top Central Universities/NITs that offer science and/or technology degrees.

The candidates will be selected through a rigorous selection process and their performance will be reviewed suitably through a national convention. Starting Academic Year 2021-22, candidates can apply for PMRF through either of these two channels:

DIRECT ENTRY CHANNEL

To apply for PMRF through this channel, the candidate must satisfy all of the following criteria:

(1) In the preceding three years, the candidate should have either: (i) completed or be pursuing the final year of Bachelors or Masters degree in Science and Technology streams from any of the Institute/University recognized in India with CGPA of 8.0 or above and GATE score of 650 or above in the relevant subject (the GATE criteria is waived if the qualifying degree is from one of the centrally funded technical institutes), or, (ii) qualified GATE and completed or be pursuing M.Tech./MS by research at one of the PMRF Granting Institutes having a minimum CGPA of 8.0 or above at the end of the first semester with a minimum of four courses.

(2) They apply and get selected in the Ph.D. programme in one the PMRF granting institutes.

(3) The PMRF granting institute, which has admitted the student in the Ph.D. programme through the regular selection process (interveiw), makes a strong recommendation for award of PMRF in view of his/her merit. The metrics on which the candidates will be judged will include (but not restricted to): research exposure, publications, performance in international academic competitions, grades and recommendation letters.

LATERAL ENTRY CHANNEL

To apply for PMRF through this channel, the candidate must satisfy all of the following criteria:

(1) The candidate should be pursuing Ph.D. in one of the PMRF granting institutions. Further, he/she should have completed at most 12 months in the PhD programme if he/she joined the programme with a Master’s degree; and should have completed at most 24 months in the PhD programme if he/she joined the PhD programme with a Bachelor’s degree. He/she should have completed at least four courses in the PhD programme with CGPA / CPI of 8.5 or above.

(2) The PMRF Granting Institute, in which the student is enrolled, makes a strong recommendation for the candidate and uploads the relevant information on the PMRF web-portal, in view of his/her merit clearly demonstrated during the first 12-24 months (as relevant) of the program;

(3) The metrics on which the candidates will be judged include (but not restricted to) a strong research proposal, publications record and grades. Due weightage should be given to publication in reputed journals/conferences.

19 Broad Discipline covered in the fellowship program: