Q. I am still pursuing a PhD. Will I be eligible to apply for the Early Career Fellowship?
A. Applicants are advised to apply for an Early Career Fellowship when they are in the last year of their PhD. It is not necessary to have finished your PhD viva or received your PhD degree at the time of application. However, it is essential that you receive your PhD degree before you activate your award, which is within one year from the time of award. If you are recommended for an award, the Fellowship will not start till the Office has received confirmation from your thesis supervisor that you have successfully defended your PhD viva or an equivalent examination.
Q. Are these Fellowships restricted to Indian Nationals? What is the age bar for India Alliance Fellowships?
A. There is no age restriction to apply for an India Alliance Fellowship. There are also no nationality restrictions on India Alliance Fellowships with the exception of Research Training Fellowships (RTF) which only Indian nationals are eligible to apply. However, in keeping with our mandate, it is essential that a major part of the research should be conducted at the sponsoring host institution in India.
Q. Am I eligible to apply if I have a permanent position at my sponsoring host institute?
A. As long as you satisfy the eligibility criteria for a particular scheme, your status of employment at the sponsoring host institute does not preclude you from applying to the India Alliance.
Q. What is the duration of funding?
A.The duration of funding for all our fellowships is 5 years with the exception of Research Training Fellowships (RTF). Click here to find out more about the RTF.
Q. What costs are covered by the India Alliance?
A. The India Alliance provides personal support of the Fellow and directly incurred research costs associated with the Fellowship project; these may include staff salaries, equipment, materials and consumables, animals etc. If the applicant is moving from an overseas lab to their Indian host institution, they may request for relocation charges (one-time expense of maximum INR 1 Lakh), provided their total budget does not exceed the cap of the fellowship they have applied for. There is no provision of funding equipment under the Early Career Fellowship scheme. However, Early Career Fellows could request for 1 technical support staff position after completing one year of on the Fellowship.