The full form of JRF is Junior Research Fellowship. JRF is a move of the University Grants Commission open to examinees who qualify the UGC National Eligibility Test and CSIR Common Test. These examinations are only qualifying tests and do not award scholarship to the candidates.
Objective
The Junior Research Fellowship program aims to provide opportunities for NET-qualified candidates to undertake advanced study and research leading to an MPhil/PhD degree in the Humanities and Social Sciences, which also includes languages ??and sciences.
Target group
The target audience for the Junior Research Fellowship is the examinees who have passed the NET or UGC-CSIR joint examinations.
Eligibility
To be eligible for JRF, a candidate must have qualified in the UGC National Eligibility Test or a joint UGC and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research test. However, the final selection of JRF candidates is done by the Universities/Institutions/Colleges.
Nature of Assistance
According to the plan, the tenure of the Junior Research Fellowship is initially for two years. The work of an individual is assessed by experts after the end of the two-year term of office. The individual's term is extended by a further three years under closer consideration for a Senior Research Fellowship if their research work is found to be adequate.
If the work for the first two years is not found adequate, he/she is given another year for improvement. Although during this period he is appointed as a Junior Research Fellow. In such cases, the work is evaluated again after three years, and if improvement is found, the scholarship holder receives two additional years under the SRF. Accordingly, the duration of the scholarship is five years with no further extension arrangements.
Approval Procedure
JRF award is given to applicants by colleges/institutions/universities dependent on UGC-CSIR/NET tests for PhD/MPhil evaluation. Candidate must enroll for MPhil/PhilD at the earliest available opportunity but not later than two years from the date of issue of UGC NET/UGC-CSIR Eligibility Certificate.
The actual scholarship amount is paid with effect from the date of joining. After completing the above procedures, the candidate's accession report attested by the Head/Head of Department along with their attested copy of NET certificate must be sent through the Registrar/Director/Director.
Selection Procedure
The JRFs will be awarded on the basis of a competitive written test called the National Eligibility Test (NET) administered twice a year by CSIR at the national level in the following fields: Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences . Since June 2011, CSIR has been offering a three-part simple multiple choice question (MCQ) paper test. Part A, which includes questions on general scientific and research abilities, will be common to all disciplines. Part B will have standard MCQs on the topic, while Part C will have higher value questions that will assess the candidate's understanding of scientific principles and/or the application of such concepts. Negative grading will be applied to incorrect answers.
Applicants who pass the test will be notified individually. The scholarship is awarded if the institution agrees to the offer of the required facilities and receives the relevant information about the qualifying degree examinations, the planned place of research work, the subject of the research and the name of the supervisor. The JRF award will only be valid for two years and will not be extended.
Procedure for monitoring
The work of a Junior or Senior Fellow is reviewed by their respective supervisor/mentor and is included in the annual progress report and submitted to the University for presentation at the UGC office. After completing the first two years of the award, the individual will apply to the department/university to be involved in promoting the SRF. For this purpose, a panel is set up with the supervisor, the head of the department and an external expert who evaluates the test work.
The commission's proposal for promotion is sent to the University Grants Commission. In this way the individual is promoted and assigned as an SRF. The proposal of the committee in the signed proforma is submitted to the office for records. The approval from the UGC is not required. The scholarship may be terminated during the term and the judgment of the Commission is final and unalterable.
The duration of the fellowship is five years, subject to the fellow's corresponding progress report or submission of a dissertation, whichever occurs first. After the absolute scholarship of five years, no expansion is allowed and on expiry of the maturity date, the awardee will be terminated from the existence of UGC JRF/SRF. Any case/reference to that effect is illegal. And the individual may have to endure disciplinary action for such conduct.
Age limit
The maximum age limit for applying for JRF is 28 years with 5 years relaxation for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, Physically Handicapped/Visually Handicapped and Female applicants and 3 years relaxation for OBCs (Non Creamy Layer Candidates).