Doctoral, postdoctoral fellowship dues submission deadline extended to Jan 8

UGC has extended the deadline for submitting pending dues under its postdoctoral and doctoral fellowship schemes to January 8, 2025, urging scholars to complete submissions on SFMP.

In Short

• UGC extends fellowship arrears deadline to January 8, 2025
• Submission required via Scholarship Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP)
• No further requests accepted after December 31, 2024

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has extended the deadline for submitting pending dues under its postdoctoral and doctoral fellowship schemes.

Initially set for October 8, 2024, the new deadline has been moved to January 8, 2025. This change comes in response to requests from several stakeholders, including higher education institutions and individual fellows.

UGC’s circular specifies that all pending dues, including fellowship amounts, house rent allowances, and contingency funds, should be submitted by January 8, 2025, on the Scholarship Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP). The commission has clarified that no further requests will be entertained after this deadline.

Importantly, scholars who registered or joined as Junior Research Fellows (JRFs) on or before December 31, 2018, will no longer have the option to request exceptions on the portal after December 31, 2024.

RECENT INCREASE IN FELLOWSHIP AMOUNTS

Earlier this year, UGC raised the fellowship amounts for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Senior Research Fellowship (SRF), and Postdoctoral Fellowship programmes.

This revised funding is applicable from January 1, 2023, providing increased financial support to research scholars across various disciplines.

The fellowship programme aims to support SC/ST scholars in undertaking postdoctoral research across diverse fields, including Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Humanities, and Social Sciences at recognised Indian institutions.

UGC's initiative offers candidates a valuable opportunity to further their research work and contribute to academia.

ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FELLOWSHIP

Eligible candidates must hold a doctorate degree in their chosen field, ideally with published research. For male candidates, the age limit is capped at 50 years as of July 1 in the application year, while female candidates have an upper age limit of 55.

However, age relaxation may be granted in exceptional cases.

Interested candidates and institutions should ensure compliance with these requirements to secure pending fellowship dues before the final deadline.