Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for ST Students

The Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF) Scheme for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes is formulated and funded by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The scheme is open to candidates who belong to Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe and wish to pursue higher studies such as regular and full time M.Phil. and Ph. D degrees in Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences and Engineering & Technology. There are 2000 slots for Scheduled Caste and 667 slots for Scheduled Tribe candidates every year for all the subjects.

The scheme has been initiated keeping in view the social background of the candidates for the deprived section of the society and to provide them opportunity to undertake advanced studies and research. The objective of this award is to provide fellowships in the form of financial assistance to students belonging to SC/ST to pursue higher studies leading to M.Phil and Ph.D degrees in Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences and Engineering & Technology. The scheme was introduced in the year 2005-06.

 

Target Group:

SC/ST Candidates who have passed the Post Graduate examination in concerned subject and who desire to pursue research without JRF of UGC-NET or UGC-CSIR NET.

 

Salient features:

• UGC is a nodal agency for implementation of the Scheme.

• It supports ST students in their higher studies such as M.Phil and Ph.D in all the Universities/Institutions recognized by the UGC.

• The fellowship is on the pattern of UGC fellowship awarded to regular full time research students in M.Phil and Ph.D courses.

• The total number of fresh fellowships each year is 667.

• In case, number of candidates exceed number of awards, UGC select the candidates based on percentage of marks obtained by the candidates in Post-Graduation examination.

• The distribution of fellowships amongst different States/UTs would primarily be in the proportion of ST population in the respective States/UTs.

• UGC may divert slots from a particular State if eligible candidate are not available in that States.

• Scholarship amount is disbursed to the candidates by the UGC through Bank Smart Cards.

• Amount of Scholarship covers fellowships, contingency expenses, expenses for departmental assistance, escorts/reader assistance for disable candidates and HRA on UGC pattern.

• 100% funding is provided by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on the basis of the norms.

• Average cost of fellowship is Rs. 2.16 lakh for Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and Rs. 2.40 lakh Senior Research Fellow (SRF).

 

Eligibility:

• A Scheduled Tribe candidate should have passed Post Graduation examination and the requirement of 50% marks at post-graduation level will not be insisted by UGC.

• The student should get admission and registration for regular full time M.Phil/Ph.D degree courses in University/Academic Institutions as per the prescribed norms and advertisement of UGC.

• If the number of the ST students exceeds the number of available awards UGC selects the candidates based on percentage of marks in the Post Graduate examination.

 

Benefits:

• The maximum duration for which the scholarships are available is given below:

1. M.Phil – 2 years (JRF)
2. Ph.D – 2 years (JRF) and 3 years (SRF)
3. M.Phil + Ph.D – 2 years (JRF) and 3 years (SRF)

• Fellowship for JRF is provided @ Rs. 16000/- per month and for SRF @ Rs. 18000/- per month.

• Contingency for Fellows in Humanities and Social Science is provided @ Rs. 10000/- per annum for two year and Rs. 20500/- per annum for the rest of the period.

• Contingency for Fellows in Science is provided @ Rs. 12000/- per annum for two years and @ 25000/- per annum for the rest of the period.

• Departmental assistance @ Rs. 3000/- per annum is provided to the host institution.

• Escorts/Reader assistance @ Rs. 2000/- per month is provided in case of physically and visually handicapped candidates.

• House Rent Allowance on the UGC pattern.

 

For guidelines and online application details, see: UGC-RGNF

 

Source: http://tribal.nic.in