Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship For Scheduled Caste Candidates
State: Central
Ministry: Ministry of Education
Department: Department Of Higher Education
Category: Education & Learning
Beneficiary Type: Individual

The Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF) Scheme for Scheduled Caste is formulated and funded by the Ministry of Social Justice &Empowerment. The scheme is open to candidates who belong to Scheduled Caste and are pursuing higher studies such as regular and full-time M.Phil.and Ph.D.degrees.

Benefits:
DURATION OF FELLOWSHIP
Name of the Course: M.Phil. 
Maximum Duration: 2 years or submission of dissertation whichever is earlier
Admissibility of JRF: 2 years; Admissibility of SRF: Nil
Name of the Course: M.Phil./Ph.D. 
Maximum Duration: 5 years from the commencement of fellowship or submission of Ph.D. thesis whichever is earlier
Admissibility of JRF: 2 years; Admissibility of SRF: Remaining 3 years
Name of the Course: Ph.D. 
Maximum Duration: 5 years or submission of Ph.D. thesis whichever is earlier
Admissibility of JRF: 2 years; Admissibility of SRF: Remaining 3 years
AMOUNT OF FELLOWSHIP
The rate of fellowship for JRF and SRF will be at par with the UGC Fellowship as amended from time to time. Presently these rates are as follows - 
Fellowship (Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences)
@Rs. 25,000/-p.m. initial two years for JRF
@Rs.28,000/- p.m. for remaining tenure for SRF
Contingency (Humanities & Social Sciences)
@Rs.10,000/-p.a. for an initial two years (JRF)
@Rs.20,500/-p.a. for remaining tenure (SRF)
Contingency (Science, Engg. & Technology)
@Rs.12,000/- p.a. initial two-year (JRF)
@Rs.25,000/-p.a. for remaining tenure (SRF)
Escorts/Reader Assistance (All Subjects)
@Rs.2,000/- p.m. in case of physically handicapped & blind candidates. 
HRA As per Govt. of India norms (All Subjects)
HOUSE RENT ALLOWANCE
1.   Suitable single-seated hostel accommodation may be provided to the candidates in the institutions. In such cases, the fellow is eligible to draw only hostel fees excluding mess, electricity, water charges, etc. A certificate to this effect is to be furnished through the Registrar/Director/Principal. HRA is not permissible for those candidates who are staying in Hostel accommodation.
2.   In case of non-availability of hostel accommodation, the fellow may be provided with single accommodation by the host institution. In such cases, the rent paid by the fellow on actual basis may be reimbursed subject to the ceiling of HRA as per Govt. of India norms.
3. If the fellow makes her own arrangements of accommodation, he/she may be entitled to draw HRA as per the categorization of cities by the Govt. of India. 
Note: In all the above cases, the fellow will submit a relevant certificate (Annexure-VI) through the concerned University/College/Institute to the identified Agency for settling the claim.
MEDICAL
No separate /fixed medical assistance is provided. However, the fellow may avail of the medical facilities available in the University/Institution/College. 
LEAVE
i. Leave for a maximum period of 30 days in a year in addition to the public holidays that may be taken by the candidate. However, they are not entitled to any other vacation, such as summer, winter, and pooja vacations.
ii. Candidates are eligible for maternity/ paternity to leave at full rates of the fellowship as per Govt. of India rules once during the tenure of the award.
iii. Academic Leave: The Fellow may be allowed academic leave (without fellowship and other emoluments) for a period not exceeding one year during the tenure of award for academic/teaching assignment /foreign visit in connection with research work. 
iv.   The expenditure on travel cannot be claimed from UGC. The period of leave without fellowship will be counted towards the tenure. 
v.   If the awardee wishes to apply for any other fellowship/paid assignment/examination conducted by a public body during the tenure of the fellowship, he/ she is not required to obtain NOC from UGC. In case of selection, the candidate would be required to tender their resignation from the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship.
Note: All kinds of leave shall be approved by the University/Institute/College.

Eligibility:
**TARGET GROUP**
The candidates belonging to one of the SC categories who have passed the post-graduation examination in the concerned subject and who are pursuing full-time research without JRF of UGC-NET or UGC-CSIR NET.
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**ELIGIBILITY**
A candidate has to fulfill the following conditions to be eligible for the award of this fellowship:
i. The candidate should belong to SC/ST and should have passed the Post Graduate Examination.
ii. The Candidate must be registered for M.Phil./Ph.D.
iii. Transgender candidates are eligible to apply under the scheme. The reservation shall be followed as per the government of India norms

Application Process:
[Online]
The applications are invited through online mode once in a year through advertisements in leading newspapers and Employment News from, the candidate belonging to the SC category fulfilling the eligibility conditions under the scheme. A short notification will also be uploaded on the UGC website www.ugc.ac.in incomplete applications will not be placed before the Expert Committee. Candidates have to apply strictly as per instructions given in the online application portal e-SARTS: http://www.ugc.ac.in/ugc_schemes/

Documents Required:
1.   Passport Size Photograph
2.   Aadhaar Number
3.   Bonafide Certificate
4.   Caste Certificate
5.   Proof of Identity
6.   Proof of Age
7.   Proof of Address
8.   Proof reg. the Educational Qualifications
The awardee is also required to submit the following documents to the designated branch of the UGC designated Bank at the stipulated period interval. The approved Agency may verify the genuineness of 
records before the disbursal of funds.
At the end of every three months, the fellow shall submit a 'Continuation Certificate' in the prescribed proforma. Annexure-II. This will make the awardee eligible to draw the fellowship for the next three months. 
After completion of one year of the award of fellowship, the concerned fellow/awardee shall submit and present its Yearly Progress Report in the proforma prescribed by the UGC as given in Annexure-III.
The Fellow/awardee shall also submit and present accounts of contingency grants in the proforma prescribed by the UGC as given in Annexure-IV.
Fellow/awardee shall submit and present its HRA Certificate in the prescribed proforma Annexure-V.
Note: The approved Agency may verify the genuineness of records before the disbursal of funds