The Cabinet today approved the
implementation of the proposal for increase in the number of Junior Research Fellowship
(JRF) through CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) in the country.
The main objective of the JRF-NET is to identify,
through this national competitive examination, those talented students who
could be enrolled for Ph.D. programmes in specific science domains, across India’s scientific and
academic institutions and also to identify those who fulfil the eligibility
criteria for employment as lecturers across various academic institutions.
The brief details of the proposal
are:
Increase in the Junior Research
Fellowship (JRF) through CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) by two fold over
the Tenth Plan period. During the Tenth
Five Year Plan a total of about 6000 young students benefited by availing
CSIR-JRF through NET. In the Eleventh Plan CSIR proposes to
increase the number by two fold.
The total cost of providing
fellowships for about 12000 students in the Eleventh Plan is estimated at
Rs.444.34 crore.
The proposed increase in intake of
JRF-NET fellowships with the attractive remuneration
would help in attracting talented youth to take up scientific research as a
career and help address the issues related to shortage of scientific manpower
in the country.
The biggest beneficiaries of this
programme would be the University system and scientific institutions across India as they shall be
able to attract bright minds for their scientific programmes/research. It will also benefit students from all over
the country who are keen to take-up scientific research as a career.
The programme will be implemented by Human Resource
Development Group of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, which
conducts National eligibility Test (NET) across the
country in 25 cities and at 125 exam centers.
A total of about 12000 students would be benefiting through JRF-NET in the Eleventh
Five Year Plan.
BACKGROUND:
Recognizing
the need to identify and nurture young scientific talent who could be enrolled
for Ph.d. programmes across
India’s scientific
institutions. Council of Scientific
& Industrial Research (CSIR) started in 1983 a research fellowship scheme
as a national responsibility. This was a
unique step to fulfil India’s growing ambition
to become a scientific & technological power house. In 1989, NET was recognized by
UGC as pre-qualification for Lectureship and was renamed as CSIR-UGC National
Eligibility Test for Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility for
Lectureship. Since 1990, NET is being conducted
twice a year in the month of June and December.
NET exam is held across the country in 25
cities and at 125 exam centers in five subject areas viz. Life Sciences,
Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematical
Sciences. Selection is made through two
paper system. Currently more than 1,50,000 students have been writing the NET exam each
year. The CSIR-NET has established an
enormous credibility in the country and it has become a bench mark for
selecting candidates for pursing Ph.D. programme, appointment either as a
lecturer or a project research fellow or for employment in various R&D organization all across the country.
In
the recent times serious concern has been expressed by educationalist,
scientists, policy markers etc. over declining interest of students to take up
careers in basic sciences. There has
been an emphasis on enlarging the pool of scientific manpower to contribute
towards S&T development in the country which is the reliable benchmark to
become a developed nation. In order to
achieve this goal focused efforts are required to be made to identify and
nurture bright young students who can take up scientific research as a
career. The present programme is one
such focussed effort in this direction.
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