SERB National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF)

The SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) invites applications from PhD, M.D. and M.S. degree holders. The selected fellows will get an opportunity to participate in a research project relating to science and engineering. They will also receive a consolidated amount of INR 55,000 per month along with other benefits. The last date to apply for the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) will be updated soon. 

Note: SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship application for 2023 still needs to be updated. However, the expected date for 2023 will be declared soon.

Table of Contents

• Eligibility Criteria
• Rewards 
• How to Apply?
• Essential Documents
• Selection Criteria
• Contact Details 

Eligibility Criteria for SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) 

Candidates who have submitted their thesis and are yet to receive the degree can also apply to the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF). However, they will receive a lesser fellowship compared to the degree holders. Interested applicants should ensure they fulfil the following requirements: 

• The candidates should be Indian
• They should have obtained a PhD, M.S. or M.D. degree from a recognised university.
• The candidates should not be over 35 years of age at the time of application. However, SERB provides five years of age relaxation to the women candidates and those belonging to the SC/ST, OBC and PwD
• They can apply to the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) only once in their career.
• The applicants should ensure the proposed mentors do not have more than two fellows assigned to them under any circumstances.
• They should also ensure their mentor has a PhD degree and holds an academic or research position in an institution recognised by the Indian government.
• The PDF, EMR and SRG applicants can submit their proposals to these schemes only once a year.

Rewards of SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) 

The selected fellows can implement the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) in any academic institution, national laboratories or R&D institutions recognised by the Indian government. However, the host institution should be capable of providing administrative and infrastructural facilities required by the fellows. The fellows can use the grant amount for minor equipment, domestic travel, contingencies and consumables. Listed below are the rewards of the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF): 

• The selected candidates with a PhD, M.D or M.S. degree will receive INR 55,000 per month.
• Those who have submitted their theses and are yet to receive the degree will receive INR 35,000 per month.
• The providers will offer a research grant of INR 2,00,000 per annum.
• They will also offer an overhead amount of INR 1,00,000 per annum. 

How to Apply for the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF)? 

The candidates can apply to the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF)online through the official SERB website. The fellows should identify a mentor under whom they can carry out the proposed research. Given below are the stepwise procedure to apply for the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF): 

Step 1 - The candidates should visit the official SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) website.

Step 2 - First, they should register by filling in the details and clicking on the submit button to complete the registration process. 

Step 3 - After registration, the candidates should log into the portal and complete the profile detail and user profile sections.

Step 4 - The candidates should ensure their proposed mentors have also registered into the SERB system by following the same process as the P.I.

Step 5 - Lastly, they should upload all the required documents and cross-verify the application form before final submission. 

Essential Documents for SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) 

The candidates should upload the mandatory documents while filling in the application form for the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF). They should submit the documents in the prescribed format. Listed below are the key documents for the fellowship programme: 

• An updated resume
• Age proof
• Marksheets
• Caste certificate (if applicable)
• Endorsement certificate from the host institution and proposed mentor
• Short resume of the mentor
• Project title (up to 500 characters)
• Summary of the project (up to 3,000 characters)
• Keywords (up to 6 keywords)
• Project objective (maximum of 1,500 characters)
• The expected output of the proposal (up to 1,500 characters)
• Work methodology of up to three pages
• Research plan of up to three pages 

Selection Criteria for SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) 

The panel selects the postdoctoral fellows after a rigorous process. It is a temporary position, and the duration of the programme is for two years. The candidates are primarily selected based on their academic merit. Given below are the selection criteria for the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF): 

• The panel will select the fellows based on the recommendation by the expert committee constituted by the SERB board.
• The fellows may have to attend an interview if required. 

Terms and Conditions 

The terms and conditions of the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) are as follows: 

• SERB will not provide extra provision for the workforce.
• The selected fellows should research by themselves till they complete the programme.
• They should not be receiving any benefits from government or non-government schemes during the tenure of the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) programme.
• The fellows should obtain permission from the SERB if they want to be away from the implementing institute for more than eight weeks at a stretch. However, fieldwork related to the project is exempted from this rule.
• They are not allowed to work with the PhD guide or co-guide.
• The postdoctoral fellows are entitled to leaves as per the norms of the host institution.
• If the fellows participate in workshops organised in India or overseas, they will be considered on duty.
• Female fellows will receive maternity leaves as per the rules of the Indian government. 

Contact Details 

In case of any queries regarding the SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF), the candidates should reach out to the following number: 

For more details, visit our Scholarships 2023 Directory.