Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship
Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship
The “Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship” is a prestigious initiative introduced during the 2009-10 academic year. This fellowship aims to nurture skilled human resources by facilitating exposure to world-class laboratories for Indian candidates and providing international candidates with the opportunity to study at premier Agricultural Universities in India.
Overview of the Scheme
The “Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship (NS-ICAR IF)” is orchestrated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), under the aegis of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The primary aim of this fellowship is to cultivate proficient human resources through training in globally recognized laboratories and to showcase the excellence of Indian Agricultural Universities (AUs) to international candidates. This initiative is designed to create a network of scientist-envoys, thereby fostering enhanced international cooperation in agricultural research.
Objectives
The ICAR continues to enhance the quality and relevance of agricultural education within the country. The International Fellowships have been established with two key objectives:
- Human Resource Development: To facilitate advanced training in cutting-edge agricultural technologies.
- International Representation: To demonstrate the strengths of the Indian agricultural system on a global platform.
The fellowships are available for both Indian and overseas nationals pursuing doctoral degrees in agriculture and allied sciences. Specifically, the fellowships are directed towards:
- Indian candidates seeking to study in esteemed international universities with strong research credentials.
- Overseas candidates aiming to pursue their studies in top-tier Indian Agricultural Universities within the ICAR-AU framework.
Fellowship Benefits
The NS-ICAR IF offers a comprehensive package of support, which includes:
- Travel Costs: Economy class air tickets for both Indian and overseas candidates, covering the shortest route from their residence to the university.
- Overseas fellows are entitled to reimbursement for economy-class travel costs from their point of arrival in India to the university and back.
- For Indian candidates, travel expenses from their residence to the departure port and from the arrival port to the destination university overseas will be borne by the candidates or their sponsoring organization.
- Fellowship Amount:
- For Indian fellows studying abroad: Up to US$ 2,000 per month, along with a one-time payment of US$ 1,000 for contingent and preparatory expenses annually.
- For overseas fellows in India: Up to INR 40,000 per month, with a one-time payment of INR 25,000 for contingent and preparatory expenses annually.
- The first six months of fellowship amount will be disbursed upon receipt of the acceptance and admission letter from the host university.
- Subsequent payments will be made every six months, contingent upon academic progress reports submitted by the fellows.
- Fellows are responsible for additional expenses, including medical insurance.
- In-service fellows may continue receiving their salary and benefits from their parent organization during the fellowship tenure.
Fellowship Tenure
The duration of the NS-ICAR International Fellowship is set at three years. Extensions are not permissible, and if a fellow cannot complete their degree within this timeframe, they must utilize personal resources for completion. If the degree is not completed within two years beyond the designated period, the council reserves the right to recover the funds disbursed for the fellowship.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the NS-ICAR IF, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Possession of a Master’s degree in agriculture or allied sciences with a minimum Overall Grade Point Average (OGPA) of 6.60 out of 10.0 or 65% marks.
- Fresh candidates must be below 35 years of age on the application deadline, while in-service candidates should not exceed 40 years.
- Fresh candidates should have completed their qualifying degree within two years preceding the application deadline, while in-service candidates must be employed within the ICAR-AU system.
- The Council will announce priority research areas and institutions for admission one year in advance.
Bank Guarantee and Service Bond
Selected Indian fellows are required to furnish an irrevocable bank guarantee of US$ 10,000 (or equivalent in Indian Rupees) in favor of the Secretary, ICAR, valid throughout the fellowship duration. For selected foreign fellows, ₹ 2,00,000 will be deducted from their fellowship as an alternative to the bank guarantee, split across the first two installments.
Application Process
Applications for the NS-ICAR International Fellowships are invited annually, with notifications published in national newspapers and on the ICAR website www.icar.org.in. Candidates can apply online through the following steps:
- Complete the fellowship registration form at https://education2.icar.gov.in/FellowShip/registration.
- Log in at https://education2.icar.gov.in/FellowShip/Loginfellowship.aspx and fill in the required details, including personal information, academic qualifications, work experience, and publications.
Conclusion
The Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship represents a significant opportunity for candidates aiming to enhance their knowledge and skills in the field of agricultural sciences. By fostering international collaboration and research excellence, this initiative contributes to the development of a robust agricultural community both in India and around the world.
Benefits
Amount of Fellowship:
1. To-and-fro, economy class air ticket for international travel, by the shortest route, from the airport, nearest to the residence/ workplace of the candidate to the airport, nearest to the destination University in respect of both Indian and Overseas candidates (Air tickets to be provided by the Council).
2. The overseas fellows will be entitled for economy-class-travel cost reimbursement from port of arrival in India to the destination University in India and back.
3. For Indian candidates, the cost on travel from place of residence/work to the port of departure in India and from port of arrival to the destination University overseas will be met by the fellows themselves or by their sponsoring organization.
4. Amount payable to the International fellowship candidates:
a) Ph.D.: Indian fellows going abroad
Amount not exceeding: US$ 2,000/- per month
Lump-sum payments towards contingent and preparatory expenses: US $ 1,000/- per year
b) Ph.D.: Overseas fellows in India
Amount not exceeding: INR 40,000/- per month
Lump-sum payments towards contingent and preparatory expenses: INR 25,000/- per year
5. The fellowship amount for the first six months, as first installment, will be released by the Council to the fellow through government notified/ approved bank to be deposited in the bank account of the fellow on receiving his/ her acceptance for the fellowship and admission letter received from the host University.
6. Thereafter, the amount of fellowship will be released to the fellow, every six months, after receiving the academic progress report from the fellow duly certified by the concerned advisor/ supervisor/ head of institution.
7. The first installment to the Indian fellow will be paid in Indian Rupees only.
8. The fellow will meet all other costs including medical insurance etc. from the above fellowship or from his/ her own resources.
9. During the tenure of fellowship, an in-service fellow may continue to receive his/her salary, types of leave and benefits etc. from the parent organization as per rules.
Tenure of Fellowship:
The NS-ICAR IFs are available to Indian candidates as well as overseas candidates for a period of three years.
The tenure of fellowship will not be extended in any case, in so far as the Council support is concerned.
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.
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.
Application Process
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The applications for NS-ICAR IFs will be invited on annual basis through announcements published in Indian national newspapers and the notification on ICAR website “http://www.icar.org.in”. Indian diplomatic missions in foreign countries will also be informed through e-mails. The candidate should submit an application for the fellowship, on-line, in the prescribed format.
Step 1: Fill out the fellowship registration form at https://education2.icar.gov.in/FellowShip/registration.
Step 2: After login at https://education2.icar.gov.in/FellowShip/Loginfellowship.aspx and fill the following details
User Details, Passport Details, Academic Qualification, Fellowships Selection, Work/Teaching Experience, Achievements, Details of Publications, Details of the Degree Programme, Referee Details, Proficiency in Language, Relatives Details, Remarks.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: After completely going through the application, you have to click on the “Final Submit” button so that your application is submitted.
Mode of Selection:
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.
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.
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.
At the time of interview, the applicants must furnish a letter of acceptance for their admission in the respective degree programme at the University.
The in-service Indian candidates must also furnish deputation approval by their respective Director of ICAR Institutes/Vice-Chancellor of Agricultural Universities.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
References & Official Links
Scheme Details
| Full Name | Netaji Subhas – ICAR International Fellowship |
| Short Title | NS-ICARIF |
| Level | Central |
| Scheme For | Individual |
| Ministry | Ministry Of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare |
| Categories | Education & Learning |
| States | All India |
| Close Date | 2023-01-31 |
| Gender | All |
| Age Range | Any — 35 years |
| 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.
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