Applications Open for Government HRD Non-Medical Fellowships 2025-26 (Good news for Non-Medical Students)

Applications Open for Government HRD Non-Medical Fellowships 2025-26

Government HRD Non-Medical Fellowships 2025-26: Interested and eligible candidates can find all the details below.

Call for Research Proposals for the Year 2024-2025

For Fellowships/Grants under the “Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme” of the Department of Health Research (MoHFW) in Emerging Fields of Medical/Clinical/Health Sciences

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme aims to offer advanced training opportunities in biomedical and health research to develop a pool of trained and experienced professionals in India. Eligible applicants from UGC-recognized universities, research institutions, medical/dental colleges, and Institutes of National Importance are invited to submit online research proposals for the year 2024-25 for the following programs:

Introduction

Currently, much of the biomedical research in the country is concentrated within a few medical colleges and institutes. A significant challenge faced by most medical colleges nationwide is the shortage of adequately trained human resources in the field of health research.

The Human Resource Development Scheme of the Department of Health Research was established to create a pool of talented health research personnel in the country. It aims to upgrade the skills of faculty members from medical colleges and institutes, mid-career scientists, and both medical and non-medical students.

This is achieved through specialized training in priority areas of health research at leading national and international institutions. The scheme encourages and supports trainees to develop and undertake research projects that address critical national and local health problems. Additionally, it provides financial assistance to institutions for upgrading infrastructure, enabling them to offer training with state-of-the-art technologies.

Objective

1. To increase the number of skilled and trained personnel for health research from medical colleges and research institutes across the country through fellowships, research grants, and career advancement schemes. These initiatives aim to encourage faculty, young medical doctors, and research scholars to pursue careers in medical and health research.
2. To focus on creating a cadre of trained medical and health researchers in specifically identified priority areas of health research, such as Clinical Trials, Toxicology, Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA), Genomics, Proteomics, Clinical Psychology, Geriatrics, Modern Biology, Biotechnology, Stem Cells, Genetics, Drug Chemistry, and Operational Research.
3. To provide support, nurture, and encouragement to trainees from medical colleges, etc., fostering connections with other scientists from universities, research institutes, etc. This aims to develop multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral teams essential for addressing critical national and local health problems.
4. To establish appropriate online teaching and learning facilities to facilitate more effective training in health research across various subjects, promoting biomedical and health research.

Area of Interest

Biotechnology, Clinical Psychology, Disease Modeling, Drug Chemistry, Toxicology, Genetics, Genomics, Geriatrics, Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Environmental Health, Health Economics, Health Informatics, Medical Ethics, Mental Health, Modern Biology, Operational Research, Proteomics, Quality Control (QC), Quality Assurance (QA), Stem Cell Research, and any other area recommended by the committee in alignment with the National Health Policy and National Health Goals.

Components of the scheme include:

I. Short-Term Studentship (STS)
II. MD/MS/DM/MCh/DNB/DrNB/MDS Thesis Support
III. MBBS/MD/MS-Ph.D. Program
IV. Non-medical fellowships for Ph.D.-NET (BRET)
V. Short-term Fellowship Abroad
VI. Long-term Fellowship Abroad
VII. Short-term Fellowship at Indian Institutes
VIII. Long-term Fellowship at Indian Institutes
IX. Women Scientist fellowship
X. Biomedical research grant for NRI/OCI/PIO
XI. Fellowship for best achievement in biomedical research
XII. International Travel Grant for non-DHR/ICMR scientists & researchers
XIII. Workshops funding grant in biomedical research
XIV. Support to Institutions and Scientific Professionals/Bodies/Associations
XV. Start-up Grant

Non-medical fellowships for Ph.D. in biomedical research through the Biomedical Research Eligibility Test (BRET).

The program is crafted to inspire and assist young post-graduate science applicants to embark on a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) journey within various disciplines of biomedical sciences.

Eligibility:

1. Postgraduate applicants with foundational or professional degrees in biomedical sciences from UGC-recognized universities or research institutions in India.
2. The Ph.D. topic must align with any subject area within biomedical sciences as outlined by the DHR-ICMR mandate.
3. Maximum upper age limit: 30 years, with relaxation as per Government of India rules.

Category:

1. To pursue a doctoral degree from UGC-recognized universities, research institutions, or institutes of national importance in India.
2. To pursue the doctoral degree from one of the 27 ICMR institutes/centers, where they will be registered for Ph.D. under the newly established AcSIR-ICMR Faculty of Medical Research.

Selection process:

1. Applicants will sit for an entrance test administered by DHR/ICMR in collaboration with the National Testing Agency (NTA) or any other national agency, through a nationwide Biomedical Research Eligibility Test (BRET).
2. A combined merit list will be created for students who qualify the BRET, with 50% marks required for General-UR, OBC, PwBD, and EWS categories, and 45% marks for SC/ST categories. Candidates who have qualified the ICMR JRF exam in previous years will also be eligible.
3. The number of fellowships for the first 60% of eligible candidates (currently 300 fellows) may be increased as needed. They can enroll in Ph.D. programs in biomedical/health research subjects at any UGC-recognized university or Institute of National Importance.
4. For the remaining 40% of eligible candidates (currently 200 students), the number may be increased as needed. These candidates must enroll in one of the 27 ICMR institutes/centers only and will be registered through the ICMR Faculty of Medical Research under AcSIR.
5. If any selected fellow does not join, candidates from the waiting list will be selected.
6. The top 10% of the merit list will receive an ‘Exemplary Performance Reward’ for their outstanding performance.
7. Recipients of the ‘Exemplary Performance Reward’ will receive a research contingency of Rs. 1,00,000/- per annum only for the JRF tenure and may also be eligible to apply for one-time DHR international travel grant support, subject to fund availability.
8. Reservations will be provided for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) applicants as per Government policy and guidelines.

Tenure

• The tenure for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) will be two or three years, and the Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) will last for a maximum of three years.
• JRF typically spans two years. Upon successful assessment of the annual progress report and recommendation from their host institutional Research Doctoral Committee (RDC), JRF recipients may be upgraded to SRF after 22 months of commencing their work. SRF typically lasts for three years or until the submission of the Ph.D., whichever comes earlier.
• The total duration of the fellowship is five years. No-cost extension beyond this period will be granted only in exceptional cases by the Division Head of DHR, but not exceeding six years.

Financial support

Stipend:

The selected fellows will receive the following monthly remuneration:

Junior Research Fellow (JRF):

• 1st year: Rs. 37,000/- + HRA
• 2nd year: Rs. 37,000/- + HRA

Senior Research Fellow (SRF):

• 3rd year: Rs. 42,000/- + HRA (If the up-gradation report is submitted and approved on/after the completion of two years)
• 4th year: Rs. 42,000/- + HRA
• 5th year: Rs. 42,000/- + HRA

Contingency:

A contingency of Rs. 20,000/- per annum will be provided per fellow for the duration of five years or until the completion of Ph.D., whichever comes earlier.

Eligibility:

1. Only Indian citizens working in the biomedical field at Indian institutes as regular faculty are eligible.
2. Faculty/Researchers must have at least three years of experience in the college/institute as regular employees.
3. They should hold M.D./M.S./M.D.S. or MBBS/BDS/MVSc./M.Sc./M.Pharma/M.Tech or equivalent with a Ph.D. in health/biomedical research.
4. Candidates up to the age of 45 years can avail this fellowship.
5. The candidate should not have availed any fellowship of one month or longer duration from any government agency of India/State government or similar training fellowship.
6. The fellowship is non-transferable.

Here are the detailed terms and conditions of funding:

Applications may be submitted online through the web portal of DHR: https://schemes.dhr.gov.in/ Details of the eligibility, terms & conditions, and guidelines of the program are available on the DHR website

Apply online here: