Regarding basic research, India is one of the top nations. Indian science is now recognized as one of the most potent engines of growth and development, particularly in the context of the current economic climate. Young scientists can apply for the ASEAN-India Research Training Fellowship (AI-RTF) 2022 fellowship program. To help young scientists from ASEAN member nations do research in India, the Department of Science & Technology and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), New Delhi, have established this fellowship. Beneficiaries of the ASEAN-India Research, Training Fellowship will also receive a one-time research contingency in addition to their fellowship award. Only 50 fellowships for a period of two to six months are offered each year. To close the development gap and improve ASEAN connectivity, ASEAN and India will work to support the ASEAN Community building and integration process for a truly people-oriented, people-centered, and rules-based ASEAN that is politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible, and truly people-oriented. They will also further encourage collaboration in tackling common and emerging problems.

Highlights Of ASEAN-India Research Training Fellowship

Organized by: Government of India Ministry of External Affairs Department of Science & Technology
Host Country: New Delhi, India
Deadline: 30 October
No. Fellowships: 50 per year
Mode of Application: Online
Duration: Two to six months
Eligible Nations: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam

Objective

• Design programs and projects in accordance with the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund,
• Encourage and encourage collaboration in biotechnology, particularly via the development of capability and collaborative research and development for both parties’ gain,
• Encourage and foster collaboration in the fields of science, technology, and innovation, particularly through joint research projects and the development of cross-sectoral initiatives in the fields of health, communicable and emerging infectious diseases, environmental management, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, agricultural technologies, alternative energy, biodiversity, food processing, advanced materials for the development of products with added value, and space technology and applications;
• To encourage the movement of scientists and researchers from ASEAN-member nations to India and provide them the chance to work in Indian R&D/academic institutions to improve their research abilities.
• To establish a network for developing research relationships and to make it easier for scientists and researchers in India and the ASEAN countries to share information and contacts.

Benefits Of ASEAN-India Research Training Fellowship

1. The chosen Fellows will get full financial support, which includes the following:

• A monthly Fellowship payment totaling 60,000 Indian Rupees (INR).
• From the applicant’s home country to the international airport closest to the host institution in India, round-trip foreign airfare in the lowest economy class through the quickest route; visa costs; overseas medical insurance; etc.
• A one-time award of INR 40,000 will cover airport transfers, domestic travel for attending scientific events and field visits inside India, as well as research contingency costs.
• Overhead fees for institutions Rs. 2,500/- every month.
• The aforementioned funds will be given to the Indian host institution for distribution to the Fellow. The host Institution will make payment-based arrangements for the Fellow’s appropriate housing.

2. The chosen Fellow is urged to get a suitable health insurance policy for the duration of their stay in India. Under the AISTDF, the cost of acquiring an abroad insurance coverage is covered and reimbursable.
3. The following expenses must be covered by the individual Fellow, his or her government, or their institution:

• All costs incurred in the home country that are incidental to travel abroad, such as costs associated with obtaining a passport and visa, paying for necessary medical exams and vaccinations, and paying for other unspecified costs like internal travel to and from the international airport of departure in the home country.
• if appropriate, pay and other compensation throughout the Fellowship duration in the home country.

4. The following expenses incurred by the Fellows during the Fellowship will not be covered in any way by the AISTDF or the Indian host institution.

• Recompense in the case of a person’s passing, incapacity, or loss of personal property, as well as compensation for harm brought on by environmental or other situations.
• Travel and other expenses for the dependents who may travel with the Fellows.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be employed, enrolled in school, or linked with a national R&D or academic institution in their ASEAN Member State of residence. The head of the applicant’s institution should sign the application and state that, if accepted, the applicant will be granted leave for the duration of the fellowship and would resume their work at the institution after their time in India has come to an end.
• Possess a master’s degree in any field of natural science, or a degree of equal standing in technology, engineering, medicine, or a related field.
• The candidate must be a citizen of one of the ASEAN Member States.
• Speaking and writing English well.
• As of the application submission date, the applicant’s maximum age is 45.
• Applicants from ASEAN who have taken advantage of any fellowship program offered by the Indian government over the past three years are unable to apply.
• Indian citizens cannot apply for the Fellowship.
• Any ongoing research project or plan of the Indian host Institute must be related to, connected to, and enhanced by the planned research endeavor in India.

Areas of Interest

The study field or subject for AIRTF eligibility must be focused on ASEAN and in line with the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology, and Innovation (APASTI). The fellowship is available for work in any of the broad fields listed below:

• Agricultural Sciences
• Biological and Medical Sciences
• Chemical Sciences & Engineering
• Computer Science & Engineering
• Physical Sciences and Mathematics
• Ocean, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
• Engineering Sciences
• Materials, Minerals, and Metallurgy
• Science Policy / IPR Management / Technology Transfer & Commercialization
• Other multi-disciplinary areas of Science, Technology, and Innovation in alignment with APASTI.

Documents Required

• CV. of Applicant
• CV. of Indian host
• Copy of pertinent pages from a current passport
• A duplicate of the recommendation letter from the current employment in the required format
• A duplicate of the letter of acceptance from any Indian scientist or institution agreeing to host the candidate, should they be chosen.

Documents Required After Fellowship Approval

• Acceptance letter from the Parent Institute
• Agreement letter from the Indian Host Institute
• The Indian Host Institute’s RTGS information (Endorsed by Institute)
• Optional itineraries (The AI-RTF Secretariat will reserve tickets.)
• Notification of joining (By Indian Host Institution)

Rules of Fellowship

The rules and guidelines listed below will be followed by the Fellows. The Fellowship will be removed if they don’t:

• It is NOT permitted to transfer any kind of biological material when utilizing the fellowship.
• During their appointments, Fellows are forbidden from violating someone else’s human rights in any manner, including via racial or gender discrimination or other kinds of abuse, inside or outside the host institution.
• On conclusion of his or her term, a Fellow must submit a fellowship completion research report to the DST, FICCI, and ASEAN Secretariat.
• Throughout the duration of the fellowship, fellows must reside in India continuously and focus on their research at the host institution. Throughout their term, fellows are prohibited from doing any additional work, whether paid or unpaid.
• The Fellows are required to abide by the policies of the host university and refrain from engaging in any research misconduct, such as creating or misrepresenting research findings and wasting research funding.

How to Apply?

The following points about application submission online may be noted:

• First, applicants must register on the ASEAN online site.
• After logging in, candidates must complete all the relevant elements in the User Profile’s Profile Detail section, which includes the applicant’s bio, a photo, the institute’s address, etc.
• When submitting a proposal, certain information must be included, including the project title, project overview, keywords, project objectives, expected output, and proposal outcome.
• Additional pertinent proposal information must be supplied as a single PDF file no more than 10 MB.

Apply Now

For More Information About AI-RTF program, please contact Mr.Raj Kumar Sharma ([email protected]) or Ms. Sadia Khan ([email protected]) and you can visit Al-RTF’s official website for more information.

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