AICTE Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2024-25 deadline extended to November 15, eligibility revised

In short

The AICTE has extended the application deadline for the Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) 2024-25 to November 15, 2026.
Eligible candidates can apply for the fellowship on the official AICTE website, aicte.gov.in.
The fellowship supports 225 full-time Indian research scholars annually for one year, providing Rs 80,000 per month plus HRA.
A research grant of Rs 2,00,000 per annum and overheads of Rs 50,000 per annum are also included.
Revised eligibility requires a PhD in relevant disciplines, a minimum of 55% or 60% marks at UG/PG level depending on category, and quality publications or granted patents.

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has announced an extension for the registration deadline of its Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) 2024-25. The new deadline for applications is November 15, 2026. This initiative aims to promote high-quality research and innovation across India and support scholars pursuing advanced studies in AICTE-approved institutions.

aicte.gov.in homepage — Official website: aicte.gov.in

The AICTE has also revised the eligibility criteria, financial assistance, grants, and selection norms for the fellowship. The Post-Doctoral Fellowship program is designed to support 225 full-time Indian research scholars annually for a duration of one year, fostering advanced research in AICTE-approved institutions for PhD holders aspiring to careers in research and development.

Revised Eligibility and Application Process

Candidates interested in the AICTE Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2024-25 must be Indian citizens who have been awarded a Ph.D. degree from a recognized university in relevant disciplines. These disciplines include engineering and technology, management, design, planning, applied arts, crafts and design, hotel management and catering technology, computer application, applied sciences, and interdisciplinary areas. Only candidates with physics, chemistry, and maths backgrounds are eligible.

Applicants must be unemployed and not holding any regular service or fellowship at the time of application. General category candidates are required to have a minimum of 60% or equivalent CGPA at either the postgraduate (PG) or undergraduate (UG) level for the 2024-25 fellowship. For the AICTE Post Doctoral Fellowships 2025, general category applicants must have a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent at the UG/PG level. A relaxation of 5% marks is permitted for reserved categories, including SC, ST, OBC, women, and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).

Candidates must possess quality publications, specifically in SCI, SCI-E, or SCOPUS indexed journals, and/or have granted patents. The age limit for AICTE Post Doctoral Fellowships 2025 is 35 years as of the last date of application. A 5-year relaxation in the age limit is provided for SC, ST, women, and PwD candidates, while OBC candidates receive a 3-year relaxation. Applicants must identify a supervisor affiliated with an AICTE-approved university or institute who holds a valid Ph.D. and is not superannuated. The proposed research center must also be an AICTE-approved institution. The fellowship can be availed only once by any candidate during their career.

Fellowship and Research Grants

The AICTE Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2024-25 provides substantial financial support to selected scholars. Fellows will receive a monthly fellowship of Rs 80,000, on top of applicable House Rent Allowance (HRA). A research grant of Rs 2,00,000 per annum is also provided, along with overheads of Rs 50,000 per annum. The research grant can be used for various expenses, including minor equipment, consumables, contingency expenses, and domestic travel. It is specified that the scheme does not provide financial support for research personnel. Also, candidates are not permitted to receive any other fellowship from government or non-governmental sources during the tenure of this fellowship.

Budget head	Amount
Fellowship	Rs 80,000 per month plus applicable HRA
Research Grant	Rs 2,00,000 per annum
Overheads	Rs 50,000 per annum

Selection Process and Evaluation Parameters

The selection process for the AICTE Post-Doctoral Fellowship involves shortlisting candidates based on their PhD level accomplishments, the professional standing of their proposed supervisor and university, and their published papers at the time of application. The evaluation of proposals includes a weighted scoring system across several academic and research activities, culminating in an interview.

Academic/ Research activity	Weightage marks
Criteria for UG & PG UG percentage	10
PG percentage	10
Research publications weightage (SCI/SCIE/Scopus) and/or patents granted	10
Research proposal weightage	10
Interview	10
Total	50

For context, the AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF) Scheme 2023-24, launched on August 23, 2023, offers a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) of Rs 37,000 per month and a Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) of Rs 42,000 per month, along with a Contingency Grant of Rs 15,000 per year. The ADF scheme has a duration of 3 years, with a potential 1-year extension. The National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF) scheme for 2020-21 had an intake of 363 candidates per year, with 300 in government/government-aided institutes and 63 in private institutes, and a fellowship duration of 3 years, extendable by 6 months in special cases, and a further 6 months with AICTE approval.