JRF Full Form

Junior Research Fellowship, is abbreviated as JRF. JRF is the move of the University Grants Commission opened for the examinees qualifying the National Eligibility Test of the UGC and the CSIR joint test. These exams are only qualifying tests, and they do not grant the fellowship to the candidates.

Objective

The Junior Research Fellowship programme aims to allocate opportunities to candidates that have qualified NET to commence advanced studies, and research that leads to an MPhil/PhD degree in Humanities and Social Sciences that comprise of Languages and Sciences also.

Target Group

The target group for Junior Research Fellowship is the examinees who have cleared the NET or the UGC-CSIR joint exams.

Eligibility

To be eligible for JRF, the candidate must have qualified in the National Eligibility Test of UGC or the UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research joint test. Although, the final pickup session of the candidates for the JRF is done by the universities/ institutions/ colleges.

Nature of Assistance

Under the plan, the tenure of the Junior Research Fellowship is initially for two years. The work of the individual is assessed by experts after the end of the tenure of two years. The period of an individual is extended for the next three years under the intensified consideration of the Senior Research Fellowship if his/her research work is found adequate. If the work for the initial two years is not found adequate, an extra year is given to him/her for enhancement. Although, during this period he/she is named as a Junior Research Fellow. In such cases, again after three years, work is evaluated, and if the improvement is discovered, the fellow gets two additional years, under the SRF. Accordingly, the tenure of fellowship is five years, with no further arrangement of expansion.

Procedure of Approval 

The reward of JRFs is made by applicants by the colleges/ institutions/ universities dependent on UGC-CSIR/NET tests for assessing PhD/ MPhil. The candidate must get himself/herself enrolled for MPhil/ PhD at the most accessible chance, but not later than, a period of two years, from the issue of Eligibility Certificate of UGC NET/UGC-CSIR tests. The real amount of the fellowship is made with impact from the date of joining. On the achievement of the above procedures, the Joining Report of the candidate, attested by the Supervisor/Head of Department is to be sent through the Registrar/ Principal/ Director alongside their verified copy of the NET Certificate.

Procedure for monitoring

The work of the Junior or Senior Fellow is checked by their corresponding inspector/ mentor and indicated in the yearly development report and gets submitted to the University for presenting to the UGC office. On the accomplishment of the initial two years of the reward, the individual applies to the department/ university to be involved in the promotion of SRF. For this, a panel is established with a Supervisor, Head of the Department and External Expert to assess the examination work. 

The proposal of the Committee, for up-gradation, is sent to the University Grants Commission. In this manner, the individual is promoted and assigned as SRF. The proposal of the Committee in the endorsed proforma is submitted to the office for the record. Approval from UGC is not required. The fellowship can be ended during the period and the judgment of the Commission is conclusive and unalterable.

The period of the fellowship is five years subject to the adequate progress report of the Fellow, or presentation of the PhD thesis, whichever is prior. No expansion is allowed after the absolute fellowship of five years and the awardee gets terminated from being a UGC JRF/SRF after the expiry of the due date. Any case/reference, with this impact, is unlawful. And the individual may need to withstand disciplinary action for such an action.

Age Limit

The maximum age limit for applying for a JRF is 28 years, with a 5-year relaxation for candidates from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, Physically Handicapped/Visually Handicapped, and female applicants, and a 3-year relaxation for OBCs (Non-creamy layer candidates).

Selection Procedure

JRFs will be awarded based on a competitive written test called the National Eligibility Test (NET), which is administered twice a year by CSIR at the national level in the following fields: Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. Since June 2011, the CSIR has offered a three-part single MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) paper-based test. Part-A, which includes questions on the general science and research aptitude, will be common to all disciplines. Part-B will have standard MCQs on the subject, while Part-C will include higher-value questions that will assess the candidate's understanding of scientific principles and/or application of such concepts. Negative marking will be applied to incorrect responses.

Candidates who pass the test will be notified individually. The Fellowship is given if the Institution agrees to offer the required facilities and receives the relevant information of the qualifying degree exams, planned site of research work, research subject, and name of the supervisor. The JRF award will be valid for two years only and will not be extended.

Stipend and Tenure

A JRF chosen through the CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) would be paid Rs 31,000 per month for the first two years. In addition, the University / Institution will get an annual contingency grant of Rs. 20,000/- each fellow.

After two years as a JRF, if the fellow is registered for a PhD, the fellowship will be upgraded to SRF (NET) and the stipend will be increased to Rs. 35,000/- p.m. for the third and subsequent years, based on an assessment of Fellows' research progress/ achievements through an interview by an Expert Committee consisting of the Guide, Head of the Department, and an External Member from outside the University/ Institution who is an expert in the relevant field, not to exceed two years.

By the conclusion of the third year, Fellows should have published work to their name. This will serve as a key quantitative and qualitative criterion for assessing the candidate's development. The fellowship shall be discontinued if JRF's work is not considered suitable for upgradation by the Committee or if he or she has not registered for a PhD. Furthermore, the fellowship will be cancelled if the development is not adequate at the end of the sanctioned period. Based on the progress report (Annexure-IV) and the guide's suggestion, the tenure of the SRF (NET) will be extended for the fourth year.

The total time spent as a JRF and SRF(NET) will not be more than five years. This includes any fellowships given by the UGC, DST, DBT, ICMR, ICAR, or any other sponsoring body or institution. The EMR Division of HRDG, CSIR will issue an order for continuation at the same stipend rate as SRF(NET), continuation at the same stipend rate as JRF, or otherwise. An extension may be denied if the fellow fails to recognise the CSIR's assistance in his or her research paper.

The term of a Research Fellow who starts on the first of the month will end on the last day of the preceding month. In other situations, the Fellowship's term will end on the final day of the month in which the Fellow began.

Advantages of JRF over NET

If a candidate enrols for M.Phil./Ph.D. at any Indian university/college after passing the JRF, the candidate would receive an Rs. 31,000 monthly stipend from the UGC for the next five years. This is a decent financial aid package for applicants who want to research without working.

When a candidate applies for Assistant Professor or Lecturer positions in any Indian university or college, or when he or she applies for M.Phil./Ph.D., the applicant who has completed the JRF is always given preference over the candidate who has simply cleared the NET.

Many institutes/colleges in India do not even conduct admission tests for students having a JRF. This indicates that if a candidate has applied for M.Phil./Ph.D., he or she will be excluded from sitting the entrance exam if they have JRF. For example, if a candidate has applied for M.Phil./Ph.D. at an IIM or IIT and has a JRF, he or she will not have to take the entrance exam and will be able to directly sit for the interview. It's worth noting that this system differs from one Institute to the next.

A candidate's API (Academic Performance Indicator) is determined whenever he or she applies for permanent employment as an Assistant Professor in any Indian university or college. The API score is calculated by adding up the points from your education, post-education, PhD, M.Phil., research publications, teaching experience, and other factors. API assists Institutes/Colleges in shortlisting applicants for permanent Assistant Professor positions. Now, if the candidate has passed NET, he or she will receive 5 points in his or her API, however, if the candidate has passed JRF, the candidate will receive 7 points. Passing the JRF adds two points to a candidate's API score, giving them an advantage over other applicants.