Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) scheme
The government has recently approved a new scheme which is aimed at boosting research in the country. The Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF) scheme, which was announced on February 1 in the Union Budget, was approved on February 7.
Features of the scheme
The scheme has been approved for a cost of Rs 1,650 crore and will cover a total of 3,000 students who will be selected a three-year period beginning 2018-19. 1,000 of the best students of the country who have either completed or are in the final year in streams such as B.Tech, Integrated M.Tech, or M.Sc in Science from leading institutes including IISc, IITs, NITs, IISERs, and IIITs would gain direct admission into PhD program in IISc and IITs.
Momentary compensation
The total period of study is of five years duration. During the first and second year, selected students would get a fellowship of Rs 70,000 per month. In the third year, the fellowship would increase to Rs 75,000, while in the fourth and fifth year, students would be offered Rs 80,000 per month. Other monetary benefits include a research grant of Rs 2 lakh per Fellow. This grant would enable the fellows to meet their foreign travel expenses which they would have to undertake in order to present their research papers at International conferences and seminars.
How would the new scheme help in India’s development?
Research plays a crucial role in the overall economic and social development of the country. The 3,000 selected students would be the cream of the country and would immensely contribute to the development of Science and Technology post completion of their fellowship. The program would provide an impetus to the quality of research and development in the country and to tap talent pool that can undertake research work in science and technology domains. Commenting on the program, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar stated that the Prime Minister Research Fellowship scheme would help convert brain drain into brain gain.
Schemes like these are highly beneficial and they reduce brain drain and lead to the development of science and technology thereby contributing to the growth of the country.
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