ICAR Emeritus Scientist
ICAR Emeritus Scientist Scheme (आईसीएआर एमेरिटस वैज्ञानिक योजना)
The ICAR Emeritus Scientist Scheme is a strategic initiative aimed at leveraging the expertise of distinguished retired professionals from the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). This program allows these veterans to finalize ongoing research projects and share their knowledge through specialized teaching, thereby contributing to critical national agricultural issues.
Overview of the Scheme
The ICAR Emeritus Scientist Scheme serves as an effective framework to utilize the intellectual capital of esteemed retired scientists from NARS. It empowers these individuals to conclude significant research projects and engage in educational activities that address pressing agricultural challenges. The initiative focuses on:
- Utilizing the services of notable retired scientists to complete vital research already in progress and to initiate new projects in priority areas of national importance.
- Engaging retired educators in teaching specialized courses and developing instructional materials, particularly multimedia resources, for national agricultural education programs, including distance learning.
Eligibility Criteria
The scheme is exclusively available to recognized scientists at the level of Principal Scientist/Professor and above within the NARS framework. This includes:
- State Agricultural Universities
- Deemed Universities
- Central Agricultural Universities
- Central Universities with agricultural facilities
- Institutions/organizations funded by the Centre and State engaged in agricultural research, education, human resource development, and extension.
It is important to note that the scheme is designed to support the completion of ongoing projects rather than initiating entirely new ventures. Proposals must have national significance and should be submitted only when equally qualified regular scientists are unavailable to undertake the work in areas such as agriculture, veterinary science, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science, dairy technology, and related fields.
Benefits Offered
Under the ICAR Emeritus Scientist Scheme, participants can avail themselves of the following benefits:
- Honorarium: Emeritus Scientists will receive a monthly honorarium of ₹50,000, in addition to their pension, starting from January 1, 2016. This honorarium is subject to income tax regulations.
- Contingent Grant: Each scientist will be allocated a contingent grant of ₹2,00,000 per annum to cover essential expenses such as purchasing chemicals, glassware, books, stationery, and hiring part-time laboratory or ministerial assistance. This amount may be increased with appropriate approvals, depending on the project’s requirements.
- Travel Expenses: The contingent grant can also be used to fund domestic travel for research data collection and participation in scientific meetings, including ICAR review meetings. Eligible expenses include economy-class airfare, daily allowances, and road mileage.
- Research Fellow Engagement: Provision for hiring one Junior Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, or Research Associate at rates approved by the council. Their tenure will coincide with the project’s duration under the Emeritus Scientist Scheme.
- Full Commitment: Emeritus Scientists are required to dedicate their full time to the funded project and are prohibited from engaging in any other remunerative work during their tenure.
- Single Source of Funding: No additional financial assistance for the same project is permitted from other sources while funding is received from the council.
- Institutional Affiliation: Emeritus Scientists must remain associated with the Agricultural University or ICAR Institute from which they retired, or any other relevant institution that can provide necessary facilities.
- Teaching Participation: They will participate in teaching programs related to their specialization at the affiliated university or institute and must adhere to the institution’s disciplinary standards.
- Residential Accommodation: Emeritus Scientists are entitled to accommodation at their previous institute, and those from outside may receive priority housing based on existing rules.
Application Process
Eligible scientists or faculty members planning to retire within the next 12 months should submit 15 copies of their application in the prescribed format to the Deputy Director General (Education), ICAR. The application must be recommended by the executive authority of the institution where the research or teaching is intended to take place.
Applications are invited biannually, in June and December, and a specific circular will be issued based on available vacancies. Scientists with one year of service remaining or those who have retired within the year preceding the notification are eligible to apply.
Required Documents
Applicants must ensure that they include all necessary documentation as stipulated in the application guidelines to facilitate a smooth evaluation process.
Benefits
a) Emeritus Scientists will be entitled to an honorarium of Rs.50,000/- per month in addition to a pension that he may draw w.e.f. 1.1.2016. The honorarium paid to the Emeritus Scientist shall be subject to the Income Tax Act.
b) A contingent grant of Rs. 2,00,000/- per annum per scientist, depending upon the nature of the project to cover expenditure on the purchase of essential items of stores such as chemicals, glasswares etc., books and stationery and part-time laboratory/ministerial help will be given to the Emeritus Scientist. While sanctioning a project the amount of contingent grant could be enhanced with the concurrence of the FA (DARE) keeping in view the nature of research work. The expenditure on travel may be used to cover the tours within the country for the Purpose of collection of research data and also to attend a scientific meeting/conference within the country including the review meetings called by ICAR from the contingencies. Airfare in the economy class, eligible DA, and road mileage from the residence or from the headquarters to the airport and vice-versa will be admissible for such tours. No separate grant for TA/DA will be given and the Emeritus Scientist is to meet the expenditure on TA/DA from contingencies. The contingent grant will be released only on the basis of requisition and actual utilization in the previous year.
c) Grant for engagement of one Junior Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow/Research Associates on such rates and allowances as approved by the Council from time to time. Their appointment will be coterminous with the termination of the project under the Emeritus Scientists Scheme.
d) The Emeritus Scientist will devote his whole time to the project for which financial assistance is provided and he will not accept any other regular or part-time remunerative job during his tenure as Emeritus Scientist.
e) The Emeritus Scientist shall not receive any assistance for the same work from any other source so long as he receives assistance from the Council.
f) The Emeritus Scientist shall normally remain attached to an Agricultural University / ICAR Institute from where he/she retired, or to any other institution concerned with agriculture and allied sciences where he/she is assured in writing of the necessary facilities. The concerned University / Institution shall make necessary arrangements for the smooth running of the project and shall make available office accommodation and provide laboratory and library facilities and other supporting help to the Emeritus Scientist. The Emeritus Scientist shall himself/herself make the necessary arrangements with the concerned University / Institution.
g) The Emeritus Scientist will participate in the teaching programmes in the field of his / her specialization of the university or institute to which he/ she is attached. The Emeritus Scientist shall be subject to the discipline of the Institute where he/she is permitted to work. His / her annual report would be submitted through the Dean/Head of the Institution/Director of the Institute. In the case of teachers, he/she will be answerable to the Director (Instructions) / Dean/Head of the Department.
h) The Emeritus Scientist shall be entitled to residential accommodation in the institute where he/she had worked earlier. In case the Emeritus Scientist comes from outside, he shall be considered for accommodation on priority as per entitlement and existing rules. The Emeritus Scientist will be entitled to occupy ICAR / SAU Rest House, wherever available, on tours at the rates applicable to ICAR / SAU employees.
i) The appointment shall start only after the Scientist has actually retired, after availing of leave preparatory to retirement, if any, or when the basic facilities for the work have been made available.
j) The Emeritus Scientist will be eligible to avail of one-month leave with honorarium for each completed year of his / her tenure or on pro-rata basis for any fraction of a year. He/she may plan his leave as convenient to him/her. In exceptional cases, an Emeritus Scientist may avail of leave up to three months without honorarium on health grounds supported by a medical certificate. He /she will be treated on duty while accepting assignments within NARS. The Head of the Department / Dean / Director of the Institute will sanction the leave and the office to which he is attached will maintain a record.
k) The duration of appointment of the Emeritus Scientist shall be strictly three years. No further extension will be considered. However, the duration of the project in the case of an existing Emeritus Scientist will remain at two years only. A standing committee specifically constituted with the approval of DG will review the work of the Emeritus Scientist on completion of one year. The salient findings will be published in the form of research papers in scientific journals and the ICAR/DARE Annual Report. A copy of the final report will be sent to the Libraries of the concerned Institutes.
Application Process
Apply Online
Apply Now →
How to apply
The eligible scientist/ faculty who is to retire in the next 12 month time, may send 15 copies of the application in the prescribed Proforma to the Deputy Director General (Education), ICAR. The application should be submitted through the executive authority where the Emeritus Scientist Proposes to carry out the research, teaching, human resource development and extension duly recommended with justification.
The applications will be invited twice a year i.e. in the month of June and December for which a specific circular will be issued depending upon the vacancies, The applicants have one year of service left or have superannuated before one year from the last working day of the month of notification (i.e. June or December) will be eligible for consideration under this scheme.
Procedure of Selection
The applications received will be referred to the concerned Subject Matter Division of ICAR and to a specialist in the discipline of the applicant for comments. The applications along with these comments will be placed before the Selection cum Standing Committee.
Following criteria will be taken into consideration for the selection of an Emeritus Scientist:
The scientist should have a minimum of 5 research papers in refereed journals in the last five years or should have received a national/ international level award/recognition or in case of teachers must have received national/university level awards for excellence in teaching or have received a letter of appreciation for excellence in teaching based on alumni feedback.
The project proposal is of national importance and other equally competent regular scientists are not available in the institute to carry out the proposed work.
The project proposal is in continuation of his/her work.
Frequently Asked Questions
References & Official Links
Scheme Details
| Full Name | ICAR Emeritus Scientist |
| Short Title | ICAR ES |
| Level | Central |
| Scheme For | Individual |
| Ministry | Ministry Of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare |
| Categories | Skills & Employment |
| States | All India |
| Close Date | 2021-10-31 |
| Gender | All |
| Area | Both |
| Source | www.myscheme.gov.in ↗ |
Deepika Raikwar
Deepika Raikwar is an Education Analyst and scholarship researcher who focuses on public welfare and merit-based scholarships. She simplifies complex eligibility rules, deadlines, and application processes to help common people access reliable funding opportunities worldwide.
View all posts by Deepika Raikwar →