Applications invited for DBT Research Associateship in Biotechnology and Life Sciences

Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India has invited applications (Call II) under DBT- Research Associateship (DBT-RA) in Biotechnology & Life Sciences for 2024-25, a programme supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.

DBT-RA is awarded for pursuing research in frontier areas of Biotechnology and Life Sciences. The Associateship is tenable in Premier Research Institutions/Universities including non-profit R&D Institutions within India. The objective of DBT-RA Programme is to train and nurture young researchers, scientists and generate a critical mass of trained manpower in modern areas of biology and biotechnology and build a robust postdoctoral base for the growth of Biotechnology sectors in the country. 

Eligibility

(i) Academic Qualification: Applicants should hold a Ph.D. degree in Science, Engineering or M.D./ M.S. degree in any area of medicine with research interests in Biotechnology and Life Sciences and a good academic record. Those who have already submitted the Ph.D./ M.D./ M.S. thesis are also eligible to apply. However, such applicants, if selected, will be offered lower fellowship amount till they qualify the eligible degree. 

Age Limit

The upper age limit is 40 years for male candidates and 45 years in the case of female candidates as on the last date of application. 

Employment

The applicants who are employed at the time of application (in any form- permanent, contractual etc.) are eligible to apply. However, they have to relinquish their employment for accepting the fellowship. 

Tenure of Fellowship

The Associateship is a purely temporary full-time assignment and is tenable for a period of 02 years with annual renewal based on review of progress of research. In exceptional cases, fellowship may be extended up to 04 years depending upon the progress of research. 

Details of benefits to the DBT RA is given at https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/ra 

General Guidelines

The fellowship can be availed only once by a candidate in his/her career. The fellowship is tenable only in India in any recognized academic institutions, national laboratories or other recognized R & D institutions. The host institution must provide administrative and infrastructural support. Fellows are not allowed to work with their PhD guides/co-guides and cannot be availed at the same institution where the candidates have earned their Ph.D./M.D./M.S. degree. A mentor cannot have more than 2 DBT-RA fellows at a time. A mentor must hold a regular academic/research position in a recognized institution in India, and should hold PhD/MD/MS degree in science, engineering or medicine. Superannuated faculty (e.g., Honorary Professors, Emeritus Professors/Scientists, and DBT Distinguished Professors) could also mentor as long as they can demonstrate that resources and labs are available to them. Applicants from North East Region (permanent residence located in the NER) can work in any university/institution in the country. Research grant can be used for minor equipment, consumables, contingencies and domestic travel under the programme. 

Application

Applications can be submitted online latest by 5 pm on 03rd January, 2025 at https://ra.dbtindia.gov.in/ or https://fellowships.gov.in/. An applicant must submit only one application. 

Applicants must register on the DBT-RA Online portal, fill in complete information in the online application form and submit it before the deadline. Online application form to be filled comprises information pertaining to Personal Information, Academic Qualifications, Research Contribution, Referee Details, Proposed Research Work, Proposed Mentor Details and Proposed Host Institution. 

Documents to be submitted along with Online Application Form include, Self-attested pdf copy of DOB certificate, Self-attested pdf copies of degree certificates, A Consent letter from the mentor (Format for the Consent letter is available at the DBT-RA portal). Names and contact details of the Referees are to be provided by the applicant while filling the application form. During submission of online application form, email with link to submit letter of recommendation shall be sent by the applicant to the email addresses of all the referees who have been mentioned in the application form. 

Referees must upload a pdf copy of the letter of recommendation on the portal by 5 pm on 03rd January, 2025. The applicant shall ensure that the referee provides the recommendation letter on time. 

Contact Information: For any queries, contact DBT-HRD Project & Management Unit, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana at ra.dbt@rcb.res.in or 0129 – 2848531.