The Ramanujan Fellowship is designed to bring brilliant Indian scientists and engineers from around the world back to India to take up research positions. It aims to boost scientific research within the country by attracting top Indian talent who are currently abroad.

Yes, the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) encourages Ramanujan Fellows to get recognized as guides at their host institutes. This is based on their research experience and can significantly help in their academic career development by allowing them to supervise students.

The Ramanujan Fellowship is granted for a duration of five years. This period is fixed and cannot be extended.

Yes, applicants must be below 40 years of age to be eligible for the Ramanujan Fellowship.

Selected fellows receive a consolidated monthly fellowship of ₹1,35,000 (including HRA). Additionally, they get an annual research grant of ₹7.00 lakh for research expenses and ₹60,000 annually for overhead charges to the host institution.

No, this fellowship is specifically for 'reverse brain drain,' meaning it's for Indian scientists and engineers currently working abroad who wish to return to India. It's not for those already holding permanent positions in India.

If a fellow receives a permanent, tenure-track, or contractual position after December 31, 2018, they become ineligible for the fellowship, research grant, and overheads. They must then relinquish the Ramanujan Fellowship entirely. However, for those whose fellowship started on or before December 31, 2018, the fellowship component will be discontinued, but they may still be eligible for research grants and overheads.

The fellowship and grants are disbursed through the host institute. After the fellow joins and submits an acceptance letter to the host institute, the institute forwards it to SERB. SERB then processes the administrative and financial approvals, issues a sanction order, and releases funds to the host institute via RTGS. The fellow can start their work once the host institute receives the grant.

Yes, any grant received under the Ramanujan Fellowship is considered taxable income according to the Income Tax rules.

No, the fellowship is intended for fellows to work in new research environments. Therefore, you cannot work in the same institute where you obtained your doctorate degree.

Indian scientists and engineers working abroad need to find a host institution in India first. They then fill out the application online at serbonline.in and submit it to their nominator at the host institution. The nominator verifies and submits the application to SERB. The fellowship is scientist-specific and highly selective.

For grants in subsequent years, you need to submit a Statement of Expenditure (SE) and a Utilization Certificate (UC) in the prescribed format, along with a work report for that financial year. These are submitted yearly, covering the period from April 1st to March 31st.

Selected candidates must join their designated host institute within six months from the date of receiving the Ramanujan Fellowship Award letter. Failure to do so will result in the automatic cancellation of the award.

No, the Ramanujan Fellowship is for brilliant Indian scientists and engineers residing outside India who wish to return. An institute can only nominate candidates who are currently abroad and do not hold any position or employment in India.

SERB manages the Ramanujan Fellowship. They release the monthly fellowship grant, research grant, and overhead charges. SERB also monitors the progress through scientific reviews, submission of expenditure statements, and progress reports. They reserve the right to discontinue the fellowship or change its terms and conditions.

Generally, no. If you receive a permanent, tenure-track, or contractual position after December 31, 2018, you will forfeit the Ramanujan Fellowship entirely. For those who started their fellowship on or before December 31, 2018, the fellowship component will cease if they take up a salaried position, but they might continue to receive research grants and overheads.

The Ramanujan Fellowship covers all areas of science in the broadest sense, allowing fellows to pursue research across diverse scientific disciplines.

Yes, if the fellowship started on or before December 31, 2018, and the fellow gets a permanent job elsewhere, they can transfer the fellowship. They will then receive research grants and overheads. For fellows whose first sanction order was issued after December 31, 2018, getting a permanent position at another institute means becoming ineligible for the Ramanujan grant entirely.

Ramanujan Fellows can work in any scientific institution or university in India. However, they are not permitted to work in the same institution where they earned their doctorate degree.

Under the Ramanujan Fellowship, a fellow is entitled to one international travel opportunity per year.

The Ramanujan Fellow is considered equivalent to Scientist-D for purposes like Travel Allowance (TA) and Dearness Allowance (DA) at their host institute.

Yes, project staff employed by the Ramanujan Fellow can be paid as per the latest orders issued by SERB from time to time. These details are available on the SERB website.