Scheme for non-NET Fellowship to Full-Time M.Phil/ Ph.D Scholars
Government of West Bengal
Department of Higher Education, Science & Technology and Biotechnology
Bikash Bhaban, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 091
No. 52-Edn(B)/5B-15/2017 Date: 07.06.2017
Subject: Scheme for non-NET Fellowship to Full-Time M.Phil/ Ph.D scholars in State-funded Higher Education Institutions in West Bengal
With the objective of promoting research in the higher education institutions in West Bengal, as a part of the State Government’s vision of establishing West Bengal as a Higher Education Hub, the Governor is pleased to sanction a scheme for providing financial assistance to full-time non-NET research scholars pursuing M.Phil. or Ph.D. in the State-funded higher education institutions in West Bengal, as per the following guidelines:
1) The funds for the said Fellowship shall be provided from the Swami Vivekananda Merit cum Means Scholarship Scheme of the Higher Education, Science & Technology and Biotechnology Department; however, there shall be no reference to the ‘family income’ criterion;
2) The amount of Fellowship to full-time M.Phil scholars who have not qualified for the NET Research Fellowship shall be Rs. 5,000/- per month (not exceeding a period of two years), and Rs. 8,000/- per month (not exceeding a period of four years) for fulltime Ph.D. scholars;
3) Candidates for the Fellowship shall be selected by each university/ institution through a transparent and fair screening process, ensuring that any person involved in a criminal case or in an oftence related to moral turpitude or has been punished under disciplinary/ penal proceedings of the educational institution concerned shall not be eligible for this financial assistance;
4) Candidates already in receipt of financial assistance from any other source, including the Central or the State Governments or their agencies/ bodies, shall not be eligible for this Fellowship; a certificate to this effect may be obtained from the candidates by the university/ college authority; further, an undertaking shall be taken from each candidate that he shall submit his dissertation along with relevant published papers at the end of his Fellowship;
5) The list of selected candidates shall be signed by the Vice Chancellor/ Head of Institution and forwarded to the Department of Higher Education, Science & Technology and Biotechnology, giving therein the name, mobile phone number, email address and bank account details (including IFSC code and one cancelled cheque) of the candidates, to enable direct transfer of the Fellowship amounts to the beneficiaries’ account.
6) Once the Fellowship amount starts flowing, each university/ institution shall be required to furnish a quarterly report enclosing a certificate from the Ph.D. Guide, to be countersigned by the Dean of the concerned faculty and the Vice Chancellor that the Scholar has been duly registered as a M.Phil/ Ph.D. scholar and has met all the conditions of his course/ research work as laid down by the regulatory authorities, and that his conduct as a research scholar has been above board, along with a specific recommendation that the financial assistance be continue to be disbursed.
7) In the event of a complaint, this Department may call for such reports from the beneficiary institutions as necessary, including on the performance assessment of any candidate, from time to time;
8) A candidate who receives this Fellowship shall be duty bound to produce documentary evidence at the end of his Fellowship period that he has submitted his M.Phil/ Ph.D dissertation. If the candidate is found to have discontinued his research work/ left the institution mid-way or if it is found that the Fellowship assistance is not being utilised for the purpose for which it was sanctioned, in the event of an adverse report being received from the university/ institution concerned, the Department may discontinue the disbursement of financial assistance under this scheme.
9) The charge will be met from this Department’s current year’s budget provision under the Head of Account “70-2202-80-107-NP-008- 34-00-V”. The allotment of fund shall be placed at the disposal of the concerned DDO of the Swami Vivekananda Merit cum Means Scholarship to enable him to draw the fund from the Kolkata Pay and Accounts Office-III and disburse the fund to the beneficiaries’ accounts.
10) The lists containing the names and other particulars of the selected candidates may be sent by the respective institutions to Dr. Gopal Chakrabarti, Joint DPI, 9th Floor, Bikash Bhaban, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 091 (mobile no. 9432267262; email: gl_chak@yahoo.co.in) at the earliest but not later than 31 July 2017.
11) This order issues with reference to Finance (Budget) Department’s U.O. no. 2417 dated 6/12/2016.
12) The Accountant General, West Bengal and the Pay and Accounts Officer, Kolkata Pay & Accounts Office-III are being informed.
Sd/- Vivek Kumar
Principal Secretary