Every year, NBHM offers postdoctoral fellowships to selected young mathematicians who have completed their Ph.D. degree in mathematics. The postdoctoral fellowships (PDF) are intended for mathematicians below the age of 35 who have a doctoral degree or equivalent published research work. Persons who have submitted their dissertations for a Ph.D. degree are also eligible to apply. A candidate can apply for the award of PDF any time. An application may be sent on a plain paper and must include a detailed curriculum vitae of the applicant, a copy of his/her Ph.D. thesis and other publications. The application should be supported by recommendations from three experts in the field., and sent directly to the Member-Secretary, NBHM.

The postdoctoral fellowship consists of Rs.11,000/- per month for the first two years and Rs.11,500/- per month for third year if extension is granted by NBHM and a contingency grant of Rs. 6,000/- (Rs. Six Thousand only) per year. The detailed rules and regulations governing the postdoctoral fellowships are described in Annexure III.

Rules and Regulations Governing the NBHM Postdoctoral Fellowship

1. GENERAL

The applicant under this scheme must be an Indian national. The postdoctoral fellowship is tenable at any Indian university/research institution (other than DAE aided institutions) where the necessary facilities exist for undertaking research work in an approved subject chosen by the postdoctoral fellow.

The postdoctoral fellow will be entitled to leave as per the rules of the host university/ institution. The Head of the Institution/Department can grant leave of any kind due and admissible to a postdoctoral fellow and send an intimation to DAE. Long leave, if any, without payment of fellowship will be allowed for a total period not exceeding six months during the entire tenure of the fellowship. The leave granted without payment of fellowship will count towards tenure of the fellowship. For women postdoctoral fellows, full stipend plus House Rent Allowance (HRA), if any, may be paid per month during the period of absence on grounds of maternity. It is expected that the fellow will make up the deficiency during the remaining period.

The fellowship is tenable for two years in the first instance, and is extendable for a third year after a review by NBHM. Years are to be counted from the date of joining. The fellowship normally commences from 1st of a calendar month. At present the fellowship consists of the following:

• The postdoctoral fellow will get Rs.11,000/- per month for the first two years and Rs.11,500/- per month for the third year, if extension is granted by NBHM.
• Contingency Grant is Rs.6,000/- per annum.
• House Rent Allowance will be given as per Central Government rules.
• Reader Allowance of Rs.500/- per month (for visually handicapped persons only).

The contingency grant can be utilized for the following:

• Acquisition of books and documents of relevance to the research topic provided these are not available in the library of the university/institution.( The requisition is to be recommended by the supervisor and approved by the head of the department. The books will become the property of the university/institution library after purchase and could be issued to the upervisor/fellow after accession for use by the indenting postdoctoral fellow till his/her fellowship is over.)
• Photographic material for research work
• Computation charges.
• Reprints/offprints of research papers.
• Stationery and postal charges.
• Typing costs of research papers.
• Registration fee for attending conferences in India and abroad.
• Any other purpose specifically authorised by NBHM/DAE.

The contingency grant cannot be utilized for:

• Purchase of furniture or office equipment.
• Foreign Travel or other expenses for Visits Abroad.
• Stationary items such as - Pens, Pencils, Folders, File Covers, Carbon Papers, etc.

The postdoctoral fellow should be provided hostel/subsidized accommodation wherever available. Where this is not possible, House Rent Allowance as per Government norms as mentioned above will be paid on the basis of a certificate by the competent authority (from the institution) as to nonavailability of hostel/subsidized accommodation.

2. OBLIGATIONS OF HOST UNIVERSITIES/RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

The host university/research institution should furnish the following :

• A certificate that the postdoctoral fellow has joined the institution for undertaking research work in an approved subject chosen by him/her along with a copy of his/her Joining Report indicating the actual date of joining
• A certificate that all the necessary facilities for undertaking research work in an approved subject as chosen by the postdoctoral fellow will be provided by the Institution
• If the university/institution has not provided subsidized/hostel accommodation and if the postdoctoral fellow has made his/her own arrangement for accommodation, then a certificate to this effect to support the claim for house rent allowance

The institution will receive the fellowship amount from DAE and make monthly payment of the fellowship to the postdoctoral fellow in the prescribed manner. The institution should undertake to keep Subsidiary Accounts and furnish Utilization Certificate and Statement of Accounts along with refund, if any, to "Pay and Accounts Officer, DAE", Anushakti Bhavan, C.S.M. Marg, Mumbai 400 001, in respect of the amount received by them from time to time.

An annual report of the work done along with Utilization Certificate and Statement of Accounts duly signed by the guide and head of the institution with suitable recommendation of further grant, if any, will be submitted to DAE through the Member-Secretary, NBHM, Anushakti Bhavan, C.S.M. Marg, Mumbai 400 001.

3. OBLIGATIONS OF A POST DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW

He/She must be a full time researcher and subscribe to the regulations of the university/institute where he/she works. (The department may ensure regular attendance of the fellow by keeping an attendance register.)

The postdoctoral fellow is not to take any assignment other than related to his/her approved research programme, paid or unpaid. His/Her taking up paid assignment at any time in the course of fellowship may lead to disciplinary action and the fellow being asked to pay back the entire fellowship amount.

In case a fellow decides to appear for a competitive examination he/she should invariably seek permission from the Guide and inform DAE about it.

The postdoctoral fellow shall submit to DAE an Annual Report on the progress of his/her work through his/her guide. The annual progress report, complete in all respects, must be sent to the Member-Secretary, NBHM within 15 days of the completion of each year. Years are to be counted from the date of joining.

Once a postdoctoral fellow accepts the fellowship and joins, it is incumbent on him/her to continue the research for the normal tenure (or shorter duration) so that the original objectives of the research problem have been achieved.

No postdoctoral fellow shall discontinue his/her fellowship without prior approval of DAE. In case he/she wishes to discontinue the fellowship prior to completion of the tenure on attainment of original objectives of research or for some other reasons, he/she must submit the resignation to DAE through the guide one month in advance, indicating specific reasons for not continuing the fellowship. The fellowship shall cease from the date stipulated in the DAE letter approving the resignation. Abrupt discontinuance of the fellowship without concurrence of DAE may lead to disciplinary action.

The postdoctoral fellow must send a detailed consolidated report of the research work done during the entire period of fellowship on completion of the tenure/resignation of the fellowship through the head of the institution/department to DAE.

During the tenure of the fellowship, the fellow shall correspond with DAE or NBHM only through the head of the institution.

The post doctoral fellow shall keep DAE informed about his/her getting any higher degree/acceptance/publication of any research paper arising out of the research work done during the tenure of the fellowship. He/she must acknowledge the support of DAE (Government of India) in the publications. One copy each of all the research papers published must be sent to DAE, at each stage of publication (manuscript/reprint).

The postdoctoral fellow may, on the recommendation of the guide, undertake honorary demonstration and teaching work provided the demand made on his/her time does not exceed six hours in a week and it would not hinder the progress of Research. DAE should be informed in such cases.

A postdoctoral fellow may be permitted by DAE, provided his/her university/institute has no objection, to take temporary paid lectureship/research job in a recognized R&D Institution/university, college/institute of repute/recognized public and private sector Organisation/industrial firms and other recognized institutions/PDF Studies in India and abroad for a period not exceeding six months during the entire tenure of the fellowship. The fellow will not be entitled to stipend and contingency grant during such leave. Such leave can be taken only after joining and serving at least six months as a post doctoral fellow. He/She has to report for duty at the same place from where he/she proceeded on leave. Such leave period will be counted in the tenure and the post doctoral fellow will not be entitled to any extension of fellowship to compensate for such leave.