JRF, SRF and Research Associate are the three fellowship levels used on most government-funded research projects in India, and Project Associate, Senior Project Associate and Project Scientist are the project-staff posts that sit alongside them. This guide explains what each one means, who is eligible and what it pays under the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) current rules, so you can read a project advertisement and know what you are applying for.
All figures below come from two official DST office memoranda, linked at the end. Individual advertisements sometimes pay differently, for example under a different ministry’s scheme or an institute’s own rules, so the advertisement always has the final word.
Fellowships: JRF, SRF and RA
DST revised these emoluments by Office Memorandum DST/PCPM/Z-06/2022, dated 26 June 2023, with effect from 1 January 2023. The memorandum applies to research personnel on R&D programmes funded by Central Government departments and agencies.
| Position | Essential qualification (summary) | Monthly emoluments |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Research Fellow (JRF) | A postgraduate degree in basic science, or a graduate or postgraduate degree in a professional course, and selection through a national test such as CSIR-UGC NET (including lectureship) or GATE, or a national-level exam run by a central department or institution such as DST, DBT, DAE, DOS, DRDO, MoE, ICAR, ICMR, IIT, IISc, IISER or NISER | Rs 37,000 |
| Senior Research Fellow (SRF) | The JRF qualification plus two years of research experience | Rs 42,000 |
| Research Associate I (RA-I) | A PhD, MD, MS or MDS or equivalent, or three years of research, teaching or design and development experience after an MVSc, MPharm, ME or MTech with at least one paper in a Science Citation Indexed (SCI) journal. The institution decides the level based on experience. | Rs 58,000 |
| Research Associate II (RA-II) | Rs 61,000 | |
| Research Associate III (RA-III) | Rs 67,000 |
Moving from JRF to SRF
The memorandum makes an external assessment, by the institution where the student is enrolled for a PhD, mandatory after two years before a JRF can be upgraded to SRF. During the SRF period, a satisfactory annual assessment is needed to keep the fellowship.
HRA and other conditions
- House rent allowance: fellows may be given hostel accommodation where available, and those living in hostels do not get HRA. Where a hostel is not possible, HRA may be paid to JRFs, SRFs and RAs at Central Government rates for the city, calculated on the fellowship amount.
- No DA, bonus, LTC or retirement benefits for JRFs, SRFs and RAs.
- Medical benefits as applicable at the implementing institute.
- Leave: JRFs and SRFs are eligible only for casual leave, while RAs follow the host institution’s leave rules. Maternity leave as per Government of India instructions is available in all categories.
- Conferences: taking part in scientific events in India or abroad counts as “on duty” with the host institution’s approval.
Project staff: Project Associate, Senior Project Associate and Project Scientist
Many project advertisements ask for a Project Associate or Project Scientist rather than a JRF. These posts come from a separate DST memorandum on scientific and technical manpower other than JRF/SRF/RA: SR/S9/Z-05/2019, dated 21 August 2019, effective from 1 April 2019. All such positions last only as long as the project.
| Position | Essential qualification (summary) | Upper age limit | Monthly emoluments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Associate-I | A master’s degree in natural or agricultural sciences, an MVSc, or a bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology or medicine | 35 | Rs 31,000 + HRA |
| Project Associate-II | The same degrees plus two years of R&D experience | 35 | Rs 35,000 + HRA |
| Senior Project Associate | The same degrees plus four years of R&D experience, or a doctoral degree in science, engineering, technology or pharma, or an MD or MS | 40 | Rs 42,000 + HRA |
| Principal Project Associate | The same degrees plus eight years of R&D experience, or a doctorate plus four years of R&D experience | 40 | Rs 49,000 + HRA |
| Project Scientist-I | A doctoral degree in science, or a master’s degree in engineering or technology | 35 | Rs 56,000 + HRA |
| Project Scientist-II | A doctoral degree in science or a master’s in engineering or technology, with experience as set out in the memorandum | 40 | Rs 67,000 + HRA |
The same memorandum also covers support posts, including Laboratory Assistant or Project Assistant (a BSc or a three-year engineering diploma, Rs 20,000 + HRA) and Scientific Administrative Assistant (a graduate degree, Rs 18,000 + HRA). It includes further senior grades that are not listed here, so check the memorandum for the full table.
How to read a project advertisement
- Find the funder. A notice usually names the sponsor, for example ANRF (formerly SERB), DST, DBT, MeitY or a company. Central Government-funded projects normally follow the rates above.
- Check the exact post. “JRF” and “Project Associate-I” can ask for similar degrees but pay differently and have different rules, such as the NET/GATE requirement for a JRF.
- Look for “+ HRA”. Whether HRA is added changes the monthly amount considerably, and hostel residents usually do not get it.
- Note the age limit and its cut-off date. Project staff limits are 35 or 40 in the memorandum, and notices say “as on” a specific date. Relaxations for reserved categories and women are set out in the memorandum and the notice.
- Ask about PhD registration. Many notices say the selected candidate “may” be allowed to register for a PhD. That is a possibility, not a promise.
Official sources
- DST Office Memorandum DST/PCPM/Z-06/2022, 26 June 2023: revision of emoluments for JRF, SRF and RA (PDF)
- DST Office Memorandum SR/S9/Z-05/2019, 21 August 2019: scientific and technical manpower in R&D projects (PDF)
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