Individual centric competitive mode of funding will be provided under the EMR funding schemes. SERB supports potential scientists for undertaking research in frontier areas of S&T in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences & Mathematical Sciences.
The Science and Engineering Research Board has decided to invite Core Research Grant (EMR PAC) proposals through Call for Proposals twice a year. The proposal submission window for Principal Investigators is open for two months during June-July and second spell starting from November to December in a year. The new structure ensures faster delivery of services with known timelines to the stakeholders.
Proposals and Funding cycle: Timeline:
- Timeline: First Call
First call in a financial year will be made in first week of June of every year and window will be opened for submission of research proposals from 1st June to 31st July. Funding decision on the proposals will be communicated to the PIs during December and Grant will be released during January-February next year. - Timeline: Second Call
Second call will be made in first week of November of every year and window will be opened for submission of research proposals 1st November to 31st December. Funding decision on the proposals will be communicated to the PIs during May next year and Grant will be released during June-July.
Eligibility:
- Applicant should be an Indian citizen residing in India.
- The applicant(s) must hold a regular academic/research position in a recognized institution.
- The proposals can be submitted by an individual or by a team of investigators.Proposals submitted by a team of investigators must identify a Principal Investigator, who will spearhead the research objectives and administer the grant.
Nature & Duration of Support:
- The funding is provided normally for a period of three years.
- No budget limit is prescribed for this type of projects. The research grant covers equipment, consumables, contingency and travel apart from overhead grants.
Selection & Mode Of Application
- The call for proposals will be notified through the website www.serbonline.in and www.serb.gov.in
- The proposals will be evaluated through peer review processes as approved by Board.
How to apply online:
For successful online submission of the application the following points may be noted:
- Applicant(s) should first register into the online website click here to register
- After log-in, applicant(s) are required to fill all the mandatory fields in Profile Detail section under User Profile. which includes Bio-data, Photo, Institute Address etc.
- If you have CO-PI in your proposal then ensure that all the CO-PI’s are also registered into the system following the same procedure.
- Some of the details of your proposal like Project Title (max 500 characters), Project summary (max 3000 characters), Keywords (max 6), Objectives of project (max 1500 characters), Expected output and outcome of the proposal (max 1500 characters), Budget (Manpower,Consumables,Travel, Equipment, Contingency, Overheads ) have to be entered at the time of proposal submission.
- Other relevant information of the proposal has to be uploaded in single PDF file not more than 10 MB as other technical document (OTD). Download Template
Documents required (in PDF) should be in prescribed format:
- Biodata (under user profile section) Download Template
- Certificate from Principal Investigator Download Template
- Endorsement Letter from the Head of Institution Download Template
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1: I want to apply for an Extra- mural Research Funding scheme for the first time. What is the maximum amount of the grant the Board will fund?
A1: There is no upper limit ( or even lower limit) for a project grant. The budget is decided based on the requirement for its successful implementation. The Investigator should propose a budget which is realistic taking into account the infrastructure and resources available at the implementing institutions. The average cost of the EMR project is Rs.35 lakh for a duration of 3 years.
Q2: Does the Board has any priority areas for funding under EMR scheme?
A2: No. The Board funds all the areas of Science and Engineering without discriminating between disciplines. The proposal will be funded if it has novelty and the investigator has the competence to execute the project.
Q3: I am currently executing an EMR project in the area of Chemical Sciences. I want to apply for an another EMR project in Physical Sciences. Will I be funded another project?
A3: No. The Board funds only one project to an Investigator at a time, except in cases where calls for proposals are invited for specific areas/schemes/programs.
Q4: Are Co-Investigators allowed in EMR project? If they are from different institutions, can the budget be provided separately to both the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator(s)?
A4: Yes. Co-Investigator(s) are allowed in EMR project, provided the work proposed require complementary expertise for its implementation. Separate budget can also be provided to the Co-Investigator (s) even if they belong to different institutions.
Call for Proposals under this scheme is now open. Eligible Researchers can submit the proposals till Jul 31 2017.
