Junior Research Fellow in Underground Coal Mine Pillar Design, IIT Kharagpur (ANRF Project)
Job Description
This JRF in mining engineering at IIT Kharagpur helps write pillar support guidelines for underground coal mines. The work mixes field monitoring with numerical modelling. Apply online by 19 October 2026.
At a glance
- Post: Junior Research Fellow (JRF), one post
- Where: Department of Mining Engineering, IIT Kharagpur
- Principal Investigator: Dr Sankhaneel Sinha
- Funded by: Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
- Fellowship: ₹37,000 a month, consolidated
- Duration: One year, extendable up to four years
- Age limit: 28 years
- Apply by: 19 October 2026
The advertisement is IIT/SRIC/R/GUN/2026/102. The project is titled “Development of pillar support guidelines for underground coal mines using field monitoring and advanced numerical modeling”.
About the mining engineering JRF at IIT Kharagpur
- Build numerical models of coal pillars and the rock around them, with tools such as FLAC, UDEC or RS2
- Work with field monitoring data from underground mines
- Write scripts and analyse data to compare models with what the mine shows
- Write scientific documents and project reports
The ad names the project and the skills it wants. It does not list duties; the points above follow those.
Why this role matters
India still mines most of its coal, and pillar failure is a leading cause of roof falls underground. Better guidelines make mines safer. A JRF here also builds modelling skills that transfer to tunnels and other rock works.
Eligibility
- A postgraduate degree in basic science, or a graduate or postgraduate professional degree, with selection through CSIR-UGC NET (lectureship counts) or GATE, or through a national exam run by DST, DBT, DAE, DOS, DRDO, MoE, ICAR, ICMR, IIT, IISc, IISER, NISER and similar bodies
- Essential: B.E./B.Tech. in Mining Engineering, Earth Sciences or Civil Engineering with first division and a valid GATE score; or M.E./M.Tech. in the same subjects with first division
- Useful: numerical modelling (FLAC, UDEC, RS2 or similar), scripting and data analysis
- A good academic record and skill in writing reports
- Upper age limit: 28 years
Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview call. The advertisement lists no application fee. The appointment is for one year to start. It can be extended up to four years in total, or until the project ends, whichever is earlier, based on performance.
Pay and duration
- ₹37,000 a month, consolidated, depending on qualification and experience
- One year to start, extendable up to four years or until the project ends
How to apply
Apply online through IIT Kharagpur’s SRIC staff recruitment portal. Use the Apply Online button on the official advertisement. The portal asks you to register or log in first. The advertisement lists no application fee. Apply by 19 October 2026 and watch your email for the interview details. Other current SRIC project openings are on the SRIC recruitment page.
Key dates
- Last date to apply: 19 October 2026
- Interview: details by email to shortlisted candidates
Please read the official IIT Kharagpur advertisement before applying, and browse more Junior Research Fellow jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Official advertisement: erp.iitkgp.ac.in
How to prepare for this application
- Revise pillar design basics: tributary area theory, pillar strength formulas used in India, and the safety factor.
- Know your numerical tools: be ready to explain a FLAC, UDEC or RS2 model, its boundary conditions and its mesh.
- Think about field data: convergence meters, load cells and stress cells, and how you would check a model against them.
- Show scripting: a short Python or FISH script that automates runs or plots results is a strong talking point.
- Read the group's work: look at recent papers from Dr Sankhaneel Sinha's group on rock mechanics. Use our Find a supervisor page to compare mining labs.
About IIT Kharagpur and SRIC
IIT Kharagpur, founded in 1951, was the first of the Indian Institutes of Technology. Its Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (SRIC) unit manages externally funded research projects. SRIC also recruits the temporary staff, such as JRFs and research associates, who work on them. These posts last for the tenure in the advertisement, or until the project ends.
