Innovations for Defence Excellence 2026

The J.C. Bose Fellowship is a prestigious award for active scientists with a proven track record of Read More... outstanding achievements in their fields. Read less

Details

India is home to brilliant scientific minds, and the J.C. Bose Fellowship is a testament to their exceptional contributions. This fellowship aims to honor and support scientists who have demonstrated outstanding performance throughout their careers.

What Is This Scheme?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship is a scientist-specific award given to active researchers in India. It's highly selective and aims to acknowledge and encourage exceptional scientific talent.

Who Can Benefit From This Scheme?

This fellowship is for Indian scientists who are currently employed and have a strong record of achievement, often marked by awards like the SS Bhatnagar prize or fellowships from esteemed science academies.

Why This Scheme Is Important

Recognizing and supporting top scientific talent is crucial for the advancement of research and innovation in India. The J.C. Bose Fellowship provides significant financial support and resources, enabling fellows to continue their groundbreaking work and contribute to scientific progress.

Objective

The J.C. Bose Fellowship is a prestigious award for active scientists with a proven track record of outstanding achievements in their fields.

Benefits

1) SPARK (Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart) Grant: iDEX provides grants up to Rs. 1.50 Cr (up to Rs. 10 Cr in case of iDEX Prime) to the start-ups/MSMEs to fund the projects in many technological areas under Defence India Start-up Challenges (DISC) and Open Challenge through the Support for Prototype and Research Kick start (SPARK Framework)

2) Partner Incubators Support to iDEX winners:-

(a) Partner Incubator will provide mentorship to startups/MSMEs selected by iDEX-DIO.

(b) Partner Incubator will run programs like accelerators, incubation, etc. to strengthen selected startups/MSMEs beneficial for the India defence sector.

(c) Partner Incubator will undertake initiatives to reach out, spread awareness and promote innovations for defence among students/ researchers at all levels in academia

3) The major benefits from iDEX Scheme to Indian Defence Innovation Ecosystem are:-

(a) Facilitate rapid development of new, indigenized, and innovative technologies for the Indian defence and aerospace sector, to meet needs for these sectors in shorter timelines

(b) Create a culture of engagement with innovative startups, to encourage co-creation for defence and aerospace sectors

Sources and references

Website Of IDeX

Eligibility Criteria

You must be an active scientist with a history of outstanding performance. This is usually evident from receiving awards like the SS Bhatnagar prize or being a fellow of recognized science academies (including engineering, agriculture, and medicine).
You need to be in service at the time of nomination.
You must be an Indian national and working in an institution or university located in India.
The fellowship can be availed up to the age of 68 years.
You should not be receiving any other fellowship that includes a personal fellowship amount and research grant from any government source.

How To Apply

The nomination process for the J.C. Bose Fellowship is open throughout the year, meaning there's no specific deadline for submitting nominations.

Nominations can be sent by:

Heads of Institutions
J.C. Bose Fellows
Presidents of Science Academies

For detailed information and the nomination process, please refer to the official sources.

Documents Required

Passport-size Photograph
Proof of Age
Details of your research contributions
Copies of your educational qualifications
Information on your professional training and research experience
Employment details
Details of any awards or honors received
List of publications
Information on patents filed, granted, or commercialized
Recommendation Letter
Any other document as requested

FAQ’s

What is the J.C. Bose Fellowship intended for?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship is designed to recognize and reward active scientists for their exceptional performance. It's a highly selective award specifically for individual scientists.

Can a J.C. Bose Fellow switch their host institution mid-fellowship?

Yes, a J.C. Bose Fellow can change their host institution. They need to submit No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from both the old and new institutions. They also need to provide final financial papers showing any unspent grant from the previous institute and an endorsement certificate (available on the SERB website), along with an appointment letter from the new institute stating their joining date and appointment duration.

What is the tenure of the J.C. Bose Fellowship?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship has an initial tenure of 5 years.

How are nominations for the J.C. Bose Fellowship submitted?

Nominations can be put forward by Heads of Institutions, existing J.C. Bose Fellows, and Presidents of Science Academies. There is no specific deadline for submitting these nominations.

Is the fellowship amount received under the J.C. Bose Fellowship taxable?

Yes, the personal fellowship amount received is subject to income tax.

What are the main criteria to be eligible for the J.C. Bose Fellowship?

To be eligible, you must be an active scientist with outstanding performance, recognized by awards like the SS Bhatnagar prize or fellowships from science academies. You should be in service, an Indian national working in India, and not receiving similar fellowship benefits from other government sources. The fellowship can be availed up to age 68.

Can the J.C. Bose Fellowship be extended after retirement?

Yes, the fellowship can continue after superannuation if the scientist finds a host institution willing to support the fellowship and provide necessary facilities.

What is the maximum age limit for receiving the J.C. Bose Fellowship?

The J.C. Bose Fellowship can be availed by scientists up to the age of 68 years.

How does a selected J.C. Bose Fellow begin their fellowship and receive subsequent grants?

Upon selection, the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) sends an offer letter to both the fellow and the host institute. The fellow accepts by indicating their desired start date. The institute then forwards this acceptance to SERB, after which a sanction order is issued. The fellowship officially starts when the grant is received by the host institute. For subsequent years, grants are released after submitting the Statement of Expenditure (SE) and Utilization Certificate (UC) along with an activity report via the online portal (www.serbonline.in).

Are there specific scientific fields covered by the J.C. Bose Fellowship?

The fellowship covers all areas of science in the broadest sense.

What kind of support does a J.C. Bose Fellow receive?

Fellows receive a personal payment of ₹25,000 per month and a research grant of ₹15 lakhs annually. The host institution also receives an overhead of ₹1 lakh per year.

Is there a possibility to extend the J.C. Bose Fellowship tenure?

Yes, the fellowship can be renewed for another 5-year term. This extension is granted after a thorough evaluation of the fellow's research performance during the initial period, focusing strictly on research output like publications and patents. A minimum of 25% of fellows seeking extension might not be granted it.

Can superannuated fellows receive the J.C. Bose Fellowship along with other remunerations?

Superannuated fellows can receive the J.C. Bose Fellowship along with awards like the SS Bhatnagar Prize, academy fellowships, and any salary or honorarium from their host institution. However, they cannot accept other similar fellowships, such as the DAE Raja Ramanna Fellowship. Misrepresenting this can lead to recovery of the fellowship amount with interest.

What flexibility is available for using the research grant funds?

The ₹15 lakh research grant offers considerable flexibility. It can be used for hiring staff, purchasing consumables, covering national and international travel for the fellow and research staff, acquiring equipment, paying for repairs, buying books and journals, and meeting other research-related expenses, within the sanctioned budget.