KSCSTE Research Fellowship

About KSCSTE Research Fellowship

Through the “KSCSTE Research Fellowship”, keen and motivated post-graduate science/ engineering students get financial backing for their Ph.D. studies. Fellowships are offered in seven science streams: Mathematical Sciences, Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Earth-Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. Fellows are chosen from bright post-graduate students by means of a demanding online examination, structured as below: There are two papers for the entrance examination:

• Paper A is a general paper testing the candidate’s general knowledge and aptitude for research.
• Paper B covers the subject; its syllabus resembles that of the CSIR examination and is posted on the KSCSTE website.

Pattern of Examination – Part A (General Aptitude) has 20 questions in total, and candidates may attempt a maximum of 20. – Part B (Subject) has 100 questions in total, of which a maximum of 50 may be attempted. – Wrong answers carry no negative mark. – Total marks are worked out this way: – Of 90 total marks, the online examination contributes 70 and the Post-graduation degree marks contribute 20. – Cut-off marks depend on how many fellowships each stream has. Reservation candidates (SC/ST, persons with disabilities) get a cut-off 5% lower than that for general (UR) / General-EWS and OBC candidates. – Each subject has the following maximum number of fellowships:

Subject wise No. of Fellowships – Life Sciences: 28 fellowships. – Chemical Sciences: 16 fellowships. – Mathematical Sciences: 10 fellowships. – Physical Sciences: 16 fellowships. – Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences: 10 fellowships. – Environmental Sciences: 10 fellowships. – Engineering Sciences: 10 fellowships. – Total: 100 fellowships. – Depending on available funds, the number of fellowships can change. – Successful candidates are informed by e-mail and post, and a fellowship offer letter is sent to them. – Admission to the online examination is provisional. If the submitted documents show any mismatch, or the applicant breaks the KSCSTE Research Fellowship guidelines, the fellowship is cancelled and the candidate is barred from future examinations.

Necessary conditions as per Scheme:

• The fellowship is meant for a Ph.D., and the candidate must register with one of the Universities in Kerala to receive it.
• Awardees have to join and carry on their Ph.D. at a University/research center in Kerala as soon as they get the offer letter.
• After receiving the Council’s offer letter, the fellow must send an acceptance letter within the time stated in it, failing which the fellowship is cancelled.
• An offer of fellowship stays valid for one year from the date the offer letter is issued.
• The fellow should begin the registration process with the University in Kerala as soon as the offer letter arrives.
• On getting the University’s registration order, the fellow sends the Council a copy of it, together with the Terms and Conditions, a letter from the supervising teacher confirming no other fellowship is being taken, and a joining report giving the effective date of joining at the Research Centre, so that release of the fellowship can begin.
• A fellow who wants to end the KSCSTE fellowship must inform the Council immediately through the Head of the Institution, forwarded by the supervising teacher, and must see that the Institute submits the SE and UC and refunds any unspent amount etc. so that an NOC can be issued.