In Kerala, a good number of women will have to undergo career breaks due to family commitments and as the gap widens, they will have limited opportunities for re-entry in Science. In order to overcome this situation and to facilitate the re-entry of women having career breaks to Science research, the Kerala State Council of Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) launched the “Back-to-Lab Research Fellowship Programme” in 2010. The Scheme aims to support Women Research Scholars having career breaks, to come back to research and complete the Ph.D programme. The fellowship is provided normally for a period of 3 years. The scheme is open to unemployed women of Kerala origin qualified with a post-graduate degree in Basic or Applied Science or Professional Courses.
Benefits
- Monthly Research Fellowship:
- ₹22,000/- + 10% HRA per month (First two years)
- ₹25,000/- + 10% HRA per month (Third year)
- Annual Contingency Grant: ₹20,000/-
- Duration of Fellowship: Three years or until submission of Ph.D. thesis, whichever is earlier.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only women candidates are eligible to apply.
- Applicant should be of Kerala origin and unemployed.
- Age limit: 45 years
- Applicant should have qualified post-graduation with a minimum of 60% marks.
- Applicant should have a valid Ph.D registration in an institution of academic/ research excellence in Kerala including R&D institutions, University Departments, Govt. Aided colleges, in any of the streams; Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture or Medicine (STEAM).
- Applicant should have completed Ph.D coursework.
- Only those research scholars who are under (undergone) a career break spanning a minimum period of 6 months during the course of their Ph.D. programme due to maternity or other valid reasons are eligible to apply.
- Applicant should not have completed 4 years as on the date of Ph.D registration.
- Applicant should not be receiving any fellowship or grant from any other source for the Ph.D. programme.
Application Process
Offline Application
-
Application Period:
- Applications are invited once a year, tentatively in January.
-
Application Submission:
-
Download the prescribed application format from the KSCSTE official website.
-
Fill out the application form and attach relevant documents.
-
Send the application by post to the following address:
The Director,
Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE),
Sasthra Bhavan, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram – 695004
-
-
Additional Submission (Email Copy):
- A soft copy of the application in MS Word format and all supporting signed documents in PDF format should be sent to:
[email protected]
- A soft copy of the application in MS Word format and all supporting signed documents in PDF format should be sent to:
-
Scrutiny & Selection Process:
- Preliminary Scrutiny: Applications are verified for eligibility and document completeness.
- Peer Review: Applications are reviewed by subject experts on a 10-point grading scale.
- Presentation before Expert Committee: Shortlisted candidates present their proposals before the Research Advisory Committee (RAC).
- Final Selection: Candidates recommended by the RAC will be approved for funding by KSCSTE.
Documents Required
- Identity Proof (Aadhaar card, Voter ID, etc.)
- Proof of Kerala Nativity
- Proof of Date of Birth
- Postgraduate Degree Certificate & Marksheet
- Ph.D. Registration Order
- Coursework Completion Certificate
- Institute Order on Sanction of Leave (during the Ph.D. career break)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the objective of the Back-to-Lab Research Fellowship Programme?
A: The scheme aims to support women research scholars who had to take a break from research due to family or personal reasons and help them re-enter the field to complete their Ph.D..
Q: Who implements this programme?
A: The Kerala State Council of Science, Technology, and Environment (KSCSTE) implements this scheme.
Q: When was this programme launched?
A: The Back-to-Lab Research Fellowship Programme was launched in 2010.
Q: What is the maximum age limit to apply?
A: 45 years as of the application deadline.
Q: Can an employed candidate apply?
A: No, only unemployed women are eligible.
Q: Can a candidate who has completed their Ph.D. apply?
A: No, this scheme is only for women currently pursuing their Ph.D..
Q: How much contingency grant is provided?
A: ₹20,000 per year.
Q: What is the duration of the fellowship?
A: Three years or until the submission of the Ph.D. thesis, whichever is earlier.