Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar on February 8, 2018 appreciated the decision of the Centre to implement ‘Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF)’ scheme and said this initiative of the government will convert brain drain to brain gain.

“Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) scheme will go a long way in tapping the talent pool of the country for carrying out research indigenously in cutting edge science and technology domains,” the HRD minister said, adding, “This initiative of the government will convert brain drain to brain gain.”

The minister said that the research under the PMRF Scheme will address the national priorities. at the one hand and shortage of quality faculty in the premier educational institutions of the country, on the other.

Saying that around 1,000 best students from IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs under this scheme will be offered direct admission in PhD programme, he said these students will be offered a fellowship of INR 70, 000 per month for the first two years.

“Around 1,000 best students who have completed (or are in the final year of) B. Tech or Integrated M.Tech or M.Sc. in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs under this scheme will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in the IITs/IISc,” he said, adding, “These students will be offered a fellowship of INR 70, 000 per month for the first two years, INR 75, 000 per month for the 3rd year, and INR 80, 000 per month in the 4th and 5th years.”

The minister informed that a research grant of INR 2.00 lakh will be provided to each of the Fellows for a period of 5 years to enable them to participate in international research conferences and present research papers.

“A maximum of 3,000 Fellows would be selected in a three year period beginning 2018-19,” he added.