UGC Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC/ST Candidate 2015 RGNF : ugc.ac.in

Organisation : University Grants Commission
Announcement : Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC/ST Candidate 2015-16 RGNF

Notification : https://www.scholarships.net.in/uploads/446-RGNF.pdf
Home Page : https://www.ugc.ac.in/

Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC/ST Candidate 2015-16

RGNF for SC/ST Candidate :

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.

Update : UGC Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship For Persons With Disabilities 2018-19 : www.scholarships.net.in/29625.html

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.

Objective :
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.

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.

Eligibility:
The candidate should belong to SC/ST and should have passed the Post Graduate examination. The selection will be made on the basis of merit of the candidates. The candidate must get himself/herself registered for M.Phil./Ph.D at the first available opportunity but not later than within a period of two years from the receipt of award letter. This period is not extendable.However, the actual payment of fellowship will be made with effect from the date of approval of fellowship or date of joining whichever is later.

Nature Of Assistance Available Under The Scheme:
The tenure of fellowship is initially for two years under the RGNF Scheme. Before expiry of this period, the work of the Fellow will be evaluated by a Committee of three members comprising of Head of the Department, Supervisor and one outside subject expert to be constituted by the concerned Department of the /University/Institution/College. If the research work is found satisfactory, his/her tenure will be extended further for a period of three years under the enhanced emoluments of the Rajiv Gandhi National Senior Research Fellowship (RGNSRF). The recommendation of the Committee shall be submitted to the UGC for upgradation to the level of RGNSRF. The work done and the time spent on scholarships or fellowships of any agency other than the UGC will not be taken into account while considering the proposals for enhancement in the value of fellowship. The fellowship may be withdrawn if the work is not considered satisfactory or the candidate fails in any of the examinations related to Ph.D. In case the work for the first two years is not found satisfactory, an additional year will be given to him/her for improvement. However, during this period he/she will be designated as Rajiv Gandhi National Junior Research Fellow. In such cases work will be evaluated again before third year of the tenure, and if improvement is found, the Fellow will get two more years under the RGNSRF. Thus, the total period of fellowship (RGNJRF and RGNSRF) is for five years, with no further provision of extension.

The candidate would be eligible for following financial assistance:
Fellowship in Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, Engineering & Technology @Rs.16000/-p.m. for initial two years
@Rs.18000/-p.m. for remaining tenure RGNJRF
RGNSRF
Contingency A @Rs.10000/-p.a. for initial two years
@Rs.20500/-p.a. for remaining tenure Humanities &
Social Sciences
Contingency B @Rs.12000/-p.a. for initial two years
@Rs.25000/-p.a. for remaining tenure Sciences, Engg.
& Technology
Departmental Assistance @Rs. 3000/- p.a. per student to the host
institution for providing infrastructure For all disciplines
Escorts/Reader assistance @ Rs. 2000/- p.m. in cases of physically
handicapped & blind candidates For all disciplines
HRA As per rules of the University/ Institutions For all disciplines

House Rent Allowance:
Suitable single-seated hostel accommodation may be provided to RGNJRF candidate in the University/Institution/College. In case of non-availability, HRA as per rules of the university/ institution/ college will be paid to the Fellow subject to the submission of an HRA certificate through the Registrar/Director/Principal. Rajiv Gandhi National Junior Research Fellow provided with accommodation in a hostel recognized/maintained by the institutions may be reimbursed the hostel fee, excluding mess, electricity, water charges, etc. A certificate to this effect is to be furnished through the Registrar/Principal (Annexure-II). If the fellow makes his/her own arrangements of accommodation, he/she may be entitled to draw HRA as per categorization of the cities by the Government of India. The fellow will submit a certificate for the purpose to the UGC for claiming HRA through the concerned University/Institution/College.

Medical:
No separate/fixed medical assistance is provided. However, the Fellow may avail of the medical facilities available in the University/Institution/College.

Last Date:30/06/2015

Leave:
The candidates are entitled for a maximum period of 30 days of leave in a year in addition to public holidays. They are not entitled to any other vacations. Women candidates are eligible for maternity leave of 135 days at full rates of fellowship once during the tenure of their award.

In special cases Rajiv Gandhi National Junior Research Fellow may be allowed leave without fellowship by the Commission upto one academic year during the entire tenure of the award for accepting teaching assignments on a temporary basis, provided the assignment is in the same city/town. In other cases, leave without fellowship will be restricted to a period not exceeding three months during the tenure of the award on the recommendations of the supervisor and the institution. The period of leave without fellowship will be counted towards the total tenure of the award. RGNJRF/RGNSRFs are advised to apply for leave through University/Institution/ Colleges well in advance for the approval of the Commission.

Procedure For Applying Scheme :

Applications are invited through online mode once in a year through advertisement in leading newspapers and Employment News. The same is also uploaded in the UGC Website ugc.ac.in The selection is made on the basis of merit and as per the procedure of the Commission.

Procedure For Approval Of The Ugc :
Applications received will be scrutinized, and short listed by the Commission. The decision of the Commission will be final and binding. The Commission reserves the right to withdraw/cancel the award without assigning any reason. On completion of the above formalities, the Joining Report of the candidate, duly signed by the supervisor/head of department is to be sent to the UGC through the Registrar/Director/Principal. On receipt of the Joining Report and other required documents (Annexure III), the admissible grant for the first year will be released or the concerned university will be informed to release the grant from the funds already sanctioned by the Commission for this purpose.