What is the full form of JRF?

The full form of JRF is Junior Research Fellowship. The University Grants Commission’s JRF programme is available to those who pass the joint UGC-CSIR National Eligibility Test. The candidates do not receive the fellowship as a result of these exams; they are merely qualifying tests.

The Junior Research Fellowship Program seeks to provide competent applicants with the opportunity to begin advanced coursework and research leading to an MPhil or PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences, which includes Languages and Sciences as well.

Examinees who passed the NET or UGC-CSIR combined exams are the target audience for junior research fellowships.

The candidate must have achieved National Qualification to be eligible for JRF.

Either the joint UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research test or the UGC eligibility test. Although universities, institutions, and colleges conduct the final pickup session for JRF hopefuls.

The Junior Research Fellowship will have a two-year starting term under the design. After the two-year period has ended, specialists evaluate the individual’s work. If a person’s research work is deemed sufficient, the time of that person is prolonged for the next three years under the Senior Research Fellowship’s enhanced consideration. If the first two years of work are deemed insufficient, the student is offered an additional year to improve. However, he/she is referred to throughout this time as an undergraduate research fellow. In these circumstances, the work is once more assessed after three years, and if an improvement is shown, the fellow is granted two more years under the SRF. As a result, the fellowship has a five-year term with no plans for extension.

In order to evaluate applicants for JRFs for PhD or MPhil, colleges, institutes, and universities use the UGC-CSIR/NET exams. The candidate must enrol in an MPhil or PhD programme as soon as possible after receiving their UGC NET or UGC-CSIR eligibility certificate, but no later than two years later. The actual amount of the fellowship is determined based on the joining date, upon completion of the aforementioned steps, the Joining Report. Along with their verified copy of the NET Certificate, the candidate’s certification, attested by the supervisor or head of the department, must be delivered through the registrar, principal, or director.

When a Junior or Senior Fellow submits a yearly development report to the university for presentation to the UGC office, their work is reviewed by the appropriate inspector or mentor and noted in the report. When the initial two years of the award have been completed, the person applies to the department/university to participate in the promotion of SRF. In order to assess the examination work, a panel comprised of the Supervisor, the Head of the Department, and an External Expert is constituted.

The University Grants Commission receives the Committee’s upgrade recommendation. The person receives a promotion and is designated as SRF in this way. The office receives the Committee’s proposal in the approved proforma for the record. UGC’s approval is not necessary. The fellowship may be terminated at any time throughout the duration, and the Commission’s decision is final and irrevocable.

The fellowship lasts for five years, provided the fellow submits a satisfactory progress report and presents their PhD thesis, whichever comes first. After a five-year absolute fellowship, no further expansion is permitted, and after the requisite date has passed, the awardee loses their status as a UGC JRF or SRF. Any case or reference that has this effect is forbidden. And the person might have to endure disciplinary punishment as a result.

The maximum age for applying for a JRF is 28, but candidates from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, physically or visually impaired applicants, and female applicants are given a 5-year remission, while those from OBCs are given a 3-year relaxation (Non-creamy layer candidates).

The National Eligibility Test (NET), which is given twice a year at the national level by CSIR, will determine the selection of JRFs in the following fields: Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The CSIR has been offering a three-part single MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) paper-based test since June 2011. All subjects will have the same questions in Part-A, which covers general science and research aptitude. Part B will include mandatory Part C will have higher-value questions that will test the candidate’s knowledge of scientific ideas and/or how to apply them. Part B will consist of subject-related multiple-choice questions. Incorrect responses will receive a lower grade.

Each candidate who passes the exam will receive a notification. If the institution agrees to provide the necessary facilities and receives the pertinent information regarding the qualifying degree examinations, planned location of research work, research subject, and supervisor’s name, the fellowship will be awarded. The JRF award is only good for two years and cannot be renewed.

• For the first two years, a JRF selected via the CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) will get a salary of Rs 31,000 per month. The university or institution will also receive an annual grant for unforeseen expenses of Rs. 20,000 each fellow.
• The fellowship will be upgraded to SRF (NET) after two years as a JRF if the fellow is registered for a PhD, and the stipend will be increased to Rs. 35,000/- per month for the third and subsequent years, based on an assessment of the fellows’ research progress/achievements through an interview by an Expert Committee composed of the guide, head of the department, and an External Member from outside the university/institution who is an expert in the relevant field, not to exceed
• Fellows should have published work to their names by the end of the third year. An important quantitative and qualitative factor for judging the candidate’s development will be this. There will be a fellowship If the Committee determines that JRF’s work cannot be upgraded or if he or she has not applied for a PhD, the project will be cancelled. Additionally, if the development is insufficient at the conclusion of the authorised period, the fellowship will be cancelled. The tenure of the SRF (NET) will be extended for a fourth year in accordance with the recommendation made in the guide and the status report (Annexure-IV).
• There will be a maximum of five years spent as a JRF and SRF(NET). Any fellowships awarded by the UGC, DST, DBT, ICMR, ICAR, or any other sponsoring organisation or institution fall under this category. An order for continuance at the same stipend rate as SRF(NET) will be issued by the EMR Division of HRDG, CSIR.
• If the fellow does not acknowledge the CSIR’s support for his or her research paper, an extension may not be granted. A Research Fellow’s term will conclude on the last day of the month after it begins on the first of the month. In other cases, the Fellowship will expire on the last day of the month that the Fellow started.

• After completing the JRF, candidates who enrol in M.Phil. or PhD programmes at any Indian institution or college will be given a stipend of Rs. 31,000 per month by the UGC for the following five years. For students who wish to pursue their studies without employment, this financial help package is adequate.
• When a candidate submits an application for a job as an assistant professor or lecturer, the applicant who has finished the JRF is always given an advantage over the candidate who has cleared the NET in any Indian institution or college or when he or she applies for an M.Phil. or PhD.

• Many colleges and universities in India don’t even provide admissions tests to applicants who have a JRF. This means that a candidate who has applied for an M.Phil. or PhD will not be allowed to take the entrance exam if they are also a JRF. For instance, a candidate with a JRF who has filed for an M.Phil. or PhD at an IIM or IIT won’t need to take the admission exam and can go straight to the interview. It’s important to note that this system varies from Institute to Institute.
• When a candidate applies for a permanent position as an assistant professor at any Indian institution or college, the individual’s API (Academic Performance Indicator) is evaluated. The points from your schooling, post-education, PhD, M.Phil., research publications, teaching experience, and other characteristics are added up to determine your API score. API helps colleges and institutes narrow down the pool of candidates for permanent assistant professor posts. Now, if the applicant has completed the NET exam, they will receive 5 points in their API, but if they have passed the JRF exam, they will receive 7 points. A candidate gains an advantage over other candidates by passing the JRF, which adds two points to their API score.