VPHD_FT

The scheme aims at generating a total of 1000 Full-time PhD Candidates in emerging research areas of Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (ITES) sectors over a period of 5 years.

The 'Full Time PhD Candidate' is a component of the scheme “Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT”, implemented by the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. It is an institutional scheme, where PhD seats are allocated to the institutions and the institutions enroll PhD candidates on these seats following their admission procedures.

Objectives:

• To enhance the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES) sectors in the country.
• Give thrust to R&D, create an innovative ecosystem and enhance India’s competitiveness in these knowledge intensive sectors.

Salient Features:

• 1000 Full Time PhD seats in the areas of ESDM & IT/ITES
• One time support for selected 250 Full-time PhD candidates (50 candidates/year) for 6 months Visit to Labs Abroad
• Support for International Conference up to Rs. 1.50 Lakh/ per Full Time PhD once under the support tenure
• Contingency Research Grant @ Rs. 1.20 Lakh/ year per Full Time PhD

Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme is an institutional scheme wherein eligible institutions submit proposals requesting Full Time PhD seats against an active call for proposal by Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme, DIC, MeitY.

• The call for proposal for Full Time PhDseats is notified by PhD Cell, DIC; MeitY through the web portal https://phd.dic.gov.in/
• Proposals for allotment of Full Time PhD seats are to be submitted by eligible institutions only. Suitable number of seats would be allotted to institutions for further enrollment of Full Time PhD fellows on these seats following the scheme guidelines.
• The institutions with PhD seats, allotted under the scheme, would conduct their admission process for enrolment of candidates on those seats.

4.**** Only the candidates enrolled/registered for PhD during the period of the scheme would be eligible to apply for the financial support. This scheme will be applicable for new PhD Scholars after notification of the scheme

• Candidates already availing financial support from other government schemes are not eligible.

Terms and Conditions for support

• The support will be for additional PhD candidates taken up by an institution. No support would be provided for current levels of enrolment in the PhD programme at the institutions. Transfer from other scholarship schemes would not be permitted.
• Only the candidates enrolled/registered for PhD during the period of the scheme would be eligible to apply for the financial support. This scheme will be applicable for new PhD Scholars after notification of the scheme.
• The candidate would be eligible for Fellowship for the period during which the candidate is in good standing, and fulfills the requirements of the PhD successfully. The maximum period for which the support would be available for any Full-time candidate would be five years or till the completion of PhD whichever is earlier.
• The participating Institution will ensure that a candidate receiving fellowship under this scheme is not receiving any financial support for PhD from any other scheme of Government of India/States etc. at the same time, The candidates who have availed support for their PhD from any other scheme of Government of India/States etc. will be automatically be disqualified for support under this scheme.
• The PhD seats allotted for a particular year should be utilized in the same academic year only as per the prescribed timelines. The unfilled seats would be automatically pulled back to the general pool of the scheme.
• The institutions, in the event of any drop-out, need to report it to PhD Cell/DIC immediately. The institutions cannot enroll a substitute candidate on their own.
• The institution will be responsible for furnishing utilization certificates of the funds released to them based on the scheme parameters, and as per conditions of the sanctioned grant-in- aid.

Financial Support for Full-time PhD candidates:

• Fellowship: ₹38,750/- per month in 1st & 2nd year and @₹43,750/- per month in 3rd, 4th and 5th years of PhD. (support till PhD completion or 5 years whichever is earlier). 1. Reimbursement of Rent (RoR): This component is linked with the fellowship of a PhD Candidate. The rate of RoR is 24%, 16% & 8% (of fellowship) for X, Y & Z class cities/towns respectively. 1. Institutional Overheads: An amount of ₹25,000/Year/Full-time PhD candidate for support duration of PhD candidate to be given to the institution. The institutional overhead will be released after completion of required tenure by the respective candidate on pro-rata basis. 1. Research Contingency Grant Support: An amount of ₹1,20,000/Year/Full-time PhD candidate for support duration of the PhD candidate. 1. Support to attend selected International Conferences up to ₹1.5 Lakh per Full Time PhD candidate from 3rd year. 1. One time support for selected 250 Full Time PhD candidates from 3rd year for 6 months “Visit to Labs Abroad”. The support would be available to the selected Full Time PhD candidates with following guidelines:

• During the visit, the Monthly Fellowship will be ₹1.50 Lakh.
• The Travel/Visa expenses up to ₹1.50 Lakh is provided.
• During this period, the domestic Fellowship and Reimbursement of Rent (RoR) will be suspended.