AICTE National Doctoral Fellowship Scheme (NDF)

1 Objective
The objective of this scheme are:
(a) To promote research culture in AICTE approved Institutions.
(b) Admitting full time meritorious Research scholars by providing Research fellowship who wants to seek admission to Ph.D. in AICTE approved Technical Institutes/University Departments for carrying out research in thrust areas.
(c) To nurture talents for technical research.
(d) To promote collaborative research between Institute and Industries leading to start-ups.
2 Eligibility
(a) The fellowship/contingency will be granted to Research scholars admitted in Research Institute of AICTE. National Nodal Centre will augment the process for selecting candidates as per the eligibility criteria for grant of National Doctoral Fellowship.
(b) The candidate must have secured cumulative grade point average of 7.5 on the scale of 10 or equivalent at both B.E/B.Tech/B.Pharm and M.E/M.Tech/M.Pharm. In addition to above the candidate should have qualified GATE/GPAT during the last 5 years. For SC/ST/Physically Challenged candidates CGPA requirement will be 7.0 on the scale of 10 or equivalent or general candidate must have secured 75% marks or above & 70% marks for candidates of reserved categories respectively.
(c) The candidate should be less than 30 years of age as on 31st July of year of application however age relaxation of 5 years would be applicable to candidates belonging to SC/ST, women and physically challenged category.
3 Duration of the scheme
(a) The duration of the scheme shall be for a period of 3 Years. Normally, no further extension is granted. In exceptional cases viz due to natural calamities or reasons beyond control etc. the duration is extendable by 6 months as a special case on the recommendation of Institute and approval of National Nodal Centre. Further extension of 6 months may be given on a rare circumstance on the
recommendations with the approval of AICTE.
4 Intake of the scheme
(a) The total number of candidates selected under this scheme per year would be limited to 300 per year. Number of candidates per Institute would be about 10 per Institute subject to the availability of seats in the Research Centre and demand of a Research Centre by candidates. If the seats allotted to the institution remain vacant, these seats will be allotted to the other institutions by the Nodal Centre
on the approval of AICTE.
5 Reservation Policy
(a) Reservation for fellowship shall be as per Central Reservation Policy i.e. 15% to SC candidates, 7.5% to ST candidates and 27% to OBC candidates (NCL only), and will be observed at National level.
6 Disbursement of the Funds
(a) The rate of Fellowship will be Rs. 31,000/- month for the first two years followed by Rs. 35,000/- month for the third year. HRA will be provided at the revised rate of 8%, 16% and 24% as per the GoI norms as applicable in the city/location where the Research Fellow is pursuing their research. These rates are applicable from 01.01.2019. Contingency grant will be admissible at the rate of Rs. 15,000 per
annum
7 Processing Methodology
(a) Candidates will be identified by the National Nodal Centre of AICTE as per the functions and duties of National Nodal Centre.
8 Limit of funding
(a) The selected Nodal Centre may be released an amount of Rs.11.00 lakhs annually for meeting the expenditure on Honorarium/Salary to DEO/Clerks and for meeting expenses of National Nodal Centre Coordinator’s Office.
9 Terms and Conditions
(a) The awardee shall submit an annual report on the progress, each year through the Research Supervisor, Head of the Department and Head of the Institute.
(b) The final progress report should be submitted by the awardee through the Head of the Department / Institution to the AICTE.
(c) The awardee shall not be allowed for transfer of award from the Institution where the awardee is presently working for Ph.D. during the entire tenure of the award.
(d) The awardee shall devote full time to research during the tenure of fellowship and will not be permitted to take any part time/full time assignment. He/She will not accept any other salary or fellowship, if offered during the tenure of fellowship through any other source. The nature of the candidature (Full time AICTE sponsored National Doctoral Fellow) will not be changed during the program.
(e) The awardee shall give a declaration that if the results of research are such that can be exploited commercially by taking a patent or otherwise commercial exploitation and patent rights should be with the Institute, candidate and supervisor. However, the rules of respective Research Institute, if any, in this regards will be applicable.
(f) AICTE online portal will have PG Scholarship portal like mechanism for the purpose of releasing fellowship/HRA etc amount directly in the bank account of the beneficiary through DBT.
(g) The service conditions mentioned in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education (Technical Section-I) instruction notified vide F. Number 17-2/2014-TS.I dated 18.02.2015 shall be applicable to awardees.
(h) If the progress of the candidate is not satisfactory as reported by the supervisor/Head of the Department /Head of the Research Institute, the fellowship of the candidature will be terminated with immediate effect. This will not be revoked under any circumstances.
(i) The PhD rules/regulations of the Research Institute and affiliating university will be applicable to all admitted candidates under this scheme.
10 Teaching Assistance (Work Load)
(a) “Teaching assistantship of not more than 8 hours/week may be given to scholars undergoing full time Ph.D. program under AICTE-NDF scheme which can include assistance in lab classes, tutorial support etc.”
11 Leaving the course before completion
(a) The awardee shall furnish an undertake that in case of leaving his seat within the duration for which he has been offered fellowship, he/she shall be liable to refund the entire amount fellowship received by him/her till the date of his/her leaving the scheme.