Fellowship

BOYSCAST Fellowship 2020 Eligibility Criteria, Rewards, Application Procedure

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BOYSCAST Fellowship

BOYSCAST fellowship: Full form of BOYSCAST is ‘Better Opportunities for Young Scientists in Chosen Areas of Science & Technology. It is a programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) that grants new opportunities to the young Indian scientists/technologists. With the help of this programme, they can visit international institutions to associate with international scientists/technologists, get revelation to latest research methods, participate and commit to the latest developments in specifically chosen areas of science and technology.

Graduate, Post Graduate Students and Research Fellows can also find more Fellowship Articles to explore various fellowships across India to know the funding opportunities.

Youth of India are invited to apply for the award of fellowships under the BOYSCAST programme for accompanying advanced research/undergoing functional training in abroad research laboratories/institutes, in preferred frontline areas of science and technology for the duration of three to twelve months.

The areas are:

  • Atmospheric and Earth Sciences
  • Chemical Sciences
  • Engineering Sciences
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Physical Sciences

BOYSCAST fellowship Eligibility Criteria

  1. Academic Qualifications: Candidates must possess a Master’s Degree in Engineering, Technology or an equivalent degree. Or he/she should hold a PhD in Science or Technology or an equivalent educational qualification. Or he/she should have an M.D. Degree in Medicine or an equivalent qualification.
  2. Age: Candidates age should be maximum up to 35 years (as on 1st April 2006). The candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC and women applicants may be provided relaxation in the age limit up to 5 years.
    Employment: Candidates must hold a regular job in a recognized S&T institution/university/college. Applicants must be authoritatively sponsored by the employer/head of the institution or company with a commitment to promote them for research/training under BOYSCAST programme. Forwarding note merely asserting that above would be recognised only after DST will not consider award of fellowship.
  3. Areas of work: Area submitted by the applicant should be in line with the above stated chosen fields.
  4. Place of work: The candidate should be allowed by a foreign scientific/technological institution, which is internationally recognised as an exceptional institution where significant work in the classified area is in development. There should be a willingness of the international institution to receive and extend the required support to the applicant for the work submitted. The applicant should himself/herself agree with their intended host institution overseas for employment. The applicant is required to provide proof, in the form of a note of approval from the abroad institution to be attended along with merits/uniqueness of that host institute in the intended area.
  5. Young scientists and technologists who have established reliability in the intended area of the profession will be considered.
  6. The institute/organisation to which the applicant belongs should have either already inducted significant research exercises in the chosen field or should have instant plans to start such programmes, based on the expertise of the singular and proposed training overseas.
  7. Applicants who have availed BOYSCAST fellowship earlier will not be accepted again for this fellowship. The applicants who have availed any other abroad fellowship for more than three months through any Government/public funding company during the last two years will also not be considered.

Application Procedure

Application for BOYSCAST fellowship should be sent by eligible candidates in the prescribed formats. The body of the application should be neatly written as per the defined format. The application should not surpass 15 to 20 typed pages. The application form is expected to be forwarded by the head of agency/organization/university where the applicant is employed.

Application form completed in all regards should be sent to the following address:
The Secretary (Attn.: Joint Adviser & Head-Human Resources),
Department of Science & Technology,
Technology Bhavan,
New Mehrauli Road,
New Delhi 110 016.
If the applications are incomplete and not duly forwarded by the parent institution/organizations or accepted after the last date will not be counted.

Note: Applicants should present 15 copies of their application form typed on A-4 size plain paper.

Documents Required

  • Two copies of the record sheet that includes recent letters of acceptance from the international institution to be visited by the applicant, explicitly mention the BOYSCAST fellowship, in original with one copy of the record sheet.
  • Support from head of the institution/organisation on letter.
  • In case of SC/ST/OBC applicants, an attested copy of the document showing the category to which the applicant belongs.
  • A self-addressed stamped postcard.

Boyscast fellowship rewards

  1. The applicants should themselves agree with the research institution overseas for their deployment. The institutions which are to be attended should have to be identified outstanding organisations where significant developments in preferred areas are in development.
  2. The stipends are awarded for a duration of three months to one year. Applicants should define the period (based on the agreement with host institution) at the moment of application. It will not be likely to prolong the period of stay.
  3. The fellowship granted will be US$ 1500 per month (if the term is for a time of above six and up to twelve months) and US $ 1800 per month (for a duration of three to six months) or equivalent amount, in foreign exchange of the nation of research/training. Besides, individual contingent grant extending from Rs. 5,000/- to Rs. 10,000/- depending on the term of the fellowship would also be given.
  4. Flight tickets in economy class by Air India for joining abroad laboratory, to and fro, will be provided.
  5. Rules directing payment of salary, seniority, leave, medical benefits, gratuity, GPF and pensions etc. of the organisation to which fellow associates would remain to be applicable. However, no obligation by DST under these rules will be borne.
  6. The fellow will meet medical Insurance expenses out of the maintenance endowment.
  7. The applicants selected for BOYSCAST fellowship should start their research/ training before the end of the economic year in which the award is given. If they fail to do so, it would provide them to abandon the award.
  8. Every elected BOYSCAST fellow shall be expected to execute a bond paper as per the norms for the parent institute before continuing on fellowship and shall also be expected to a service bond to work in India for a duration of at least three years after the return to India.
  9. If the candidate does not return to India or accepts a job opportunity abroad at the end of the fellowship, he/ she will be expected to reimburse the whole of the investment contracted on him/ her during the fellowship term.

Guidelines for Candidates

  1. The candidate availing this fellowship would be named as BOYSCAST FELLOW.
  2. The fellowship will be designated to the fellowship expense of US $ 2400 (or equal to in other international currency) per month up to six months of periods and US $ 2000 (or equal to in other international currency) per month from the 7th month onwards with a maximum term of fellowship being 12 months. The organisation to which the applicant belongs would be liable for specified foreign exchange adjustments.
  3. The fellow will also be designated to a personal contingent award of Rs.15,000/- if the fellowship span is up to six months and Rs.20,000/- if the fellowship span is more than six months.
  4. The fellow will also be authorised to travel within the host nation to attend conventions or attend other institutes of interest with the endorsement of the Guide at the host institute and as per DST laws. The Fellow will be allowed a grant of US $ 600 (or equal in other foreign money) for a term up to six months and US $ 1200 (or equal in other foreign money) for a term beyond six months for this goal.
  5. The fellow will be empowered to air way in economy class by Air India/Indian Airlines from the place where he/she works in India to the position of the abroad host institute and back by the shortest route. The fellow may, however, visit airlines other than Air India/Indian Airlines, if the ticket granted by the different airlines is competitive/cheaper as related to Air India/Indian Airlines.
  6. Bank payment charges, Medical coverage expenses, Visa fee, Airport tax and taxi costs etc. will be adhered by the fellow from out of the particular contingent reward.
  7. Rules directing the payment of salary, leave, medical, gratuity, GPF and pension etc. of the Organisation/Institution/University to which the fellow associates would proceed to be applicable. DST will bear no liability on any of these accounts.
  8. The applicant selected for the grant of the BOYSCAST fellowship should rather start their research/training before the completion of the financial year in which the award is given. Breakdown to do so would present the fellow to abandon the award. The judgment of DST on all these distress would be final.
  9. Candidates have to arrange for their visas.

Frequently Asked Questions on BOYSCAST fellowship

Question 1.
What is BOYSCAST fellowship?
Answer:
BOYSCAST fellowship is a programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) that grants new opportunities to the young Indian scientists/technologists. With the help of this programme, they can visit international institutions to associate with international scientists/technologists, get revelation to latest research methods, participate and commit to the latest developments in specifically chosen areas of science and technology.

Question 2.
What is the fullform of BOYSCAST?
Answer:
Full form of BOYSCAST is ‘Better Opportunities for Young Scientists in Chosen Areas of Science & Technology

Question 3.
How to apply for BOYSCAST fellowship?
Answer:
Application for BOYSCAST fellowship should be sent by eligible candidates in the prescribed formats to The Secretary (Attn.: Joint Adviser & Head-Human Resources), Department of Science & Technology, Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi 110 016. The body of the application should be neatly written as per the defined format. The application should not surpass 15 to 20 typed pages. The application form is expected to be forwarded by the head of agency/organization/university where the applicant is employed.

Question 4.
What is the age limit for BOYSCAST Fellowship?
Answer:
Candidates age should be maximum up to 35 years (as on 1st April 2006). The candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC and women applicants may be provided relaxation in the age limit up to 5 years.