Annexure-1

GUIDELINES FOR
AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF)
2020-21

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 AICTE DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP (ADF)

1.0 OBJECTIVES: -
The objectives of the ADF scheme are:
 To promote research culture in AICTE approved Institutions.
 To promote collaborative research between Institute and Industries leading to start-ups.
 To nurture talents for technical research.

2.0 BRAOD THRUST AREAS FOR THE RESEARCH: -

Some of the broad thrust areas (but not limited) for the research are as follows:-

 Green Technologies
 Big Data, Machine Learning & Data Sciences
 Block Chain
 Artificial Intelligence
 Energy Production and Storage
 Electronics & Photonics
 Nuclear Engineering and Allied Technologies
 Robotics and Mechatronics
 Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR)
 Energy Efficiency, Renewable and sustainable Energy
 Electric and Hybrid Mobility
 Smart Cities, Housing and Transportation
 Internet of Things (IoT)
 3D Printing
 Quantum Computing
 Smart Technologies for Agriculture and Food Industry
 Water purification, conservation and management
 Public Policy
 Social & Organizational Psychology & Behaviour
 Cyber Security

3.0 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD OF FELLOWSHIP: -

The detailed criteria for the award of fellowship are as follows:

a) The fellowship/HRA/contingency will be granted to research scholars admitted in the

Technical Universities in the identified thrust areas of the ADF scheme.

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 b) Technical Universities will admit candidates in their research programme as per their
procedure following minimum eligibility criteria as prescribed by AICTE.
c) The candidate must have secured minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of
7.5 on the scale of 10 (or minimum 75% marks) or equivalent at both Bachelors and
Masters. In addition to above, the candidate should have qualified GATE/GPAT/NET
during the last 5 years. For SC/ST/PH candidates, CGPA requirement will be 7.0 on the
scale of 10 (or 70% marks) or equivalent.
d) The candidate should be less than 30 years of age as on date of admission in respective
Technical University. However, age relaxation of 5 years would be applicable to
candidates belonging to SC/ST, women and physically challenged category in succession.

4.0 DURATION OF THE SCHEME: -

The duration of the scheme shall be for a period of 3 Years. Further one-year extension (In two
slots of 6 months’ each) may be given by AICTE on the recommendation of the respective
Technical University based upon the performance of the scholar in the research work.

5.0 AMOUNT OF FELLOWSHIP: -

The Fellowship will be Rs. 31,000/- pm for the first two years followed by Rs. 35,000/- pm for
the third year. HRA will be provided at the rate of 8%, 16% and 24% as per the Government of
India (GoI) norms as applicable in the city/ location where the Research Fellow is pursuing their
research and are not provided any hostel accommodation in the institute.
In addition, Contingency grant will be admissible to the Scholars at the rate of Rs.15, 000/- per
annum to meet the miscellaneous expenditures.

6.0 NUMBER OF FELLOWSHIP: -

Maximum of 300 Nos. of fellowship may be granted in a year. Number of candidates per
technical university would be between 5-18, subject to the availability of seats in the research
Centre and demand of a research Centre by candidates. The Technical University wise number of
seats is enclosed in Annexure A.

7.0 ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES: -

a) Technical University will assign one faculty as Nodal Officer for the scheme who will act
as an interface between the technical university and AICTE on various operational
aspects of the scheme.
b) Technical University will select candidates for the fellowship as per laid down criteria.
c) Technical University will update joining report of the scholar on the online portal of
AICTE along with bank accounts details and subsequently monthly attendance of the
enrolled scholars through online portal for the disbursement of the fellowship directly in
the scholar’s account.

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 d) Technical University will ensure that scholar must be registered in the PhD programme
within one year of start of fellowship after completion of mandatory course work etc.
falling which fellowship will be discontinued.
e) Annual progress report of the enrolled scholar will be submitted Online to AICTE for the
monitoring purpose.

8.0 CANCELLATION OF AWARD: -

The fellowship is liable to cancellation in case of:

a) Registration in Ph.D. not within one year from date of joining.
b) Misconduct.
c) Unsatisfactory progress of research work/ failure in any examination related to Ph.D.
d) He/ She is found ineligible later.
e) Any false information furnished by the applicant or any fraudulent activity by the
Scholar/ Fellow/ Research Awardees shall lead to Penal action against him/ her.
f) The fellowship may be terminated at any time during the tenure and the decision of the
AICTE will be final and binding.

9.0 TERMS AND CONDITIONS: -

a) Registration for Ph.D. is mandatory within one year from the date of joining as a research
fellow. If candidate has not registered himself/ herself within one year from date of
joining, then fellowship will be discontinued upto his/ her registration for Ph.D.
b) In the cases where the fellowship has been discontinued as per clause (a) above, the
fellowship may be resumed after the registration in Ph.D. However, the maximum tenure
of fellowship in such cases will be limited to as mentioned in clause 4.0 above.
c) The awardees shall submit an annual report on the progress, each year through the
Research Supervisor, Head of the Department and Head of the Institute to AICTE.
d) The final progress report should be submitted by the awardees through the Head of the
Department / Institution to the AICTE.
e) The awardees shall not be allowed for transfer of award from the Institution where the
awardees are presently working for Ph.D. during the entire tenure of the award.
f) The awardees shall devote full time to research during the tenure of fellowship and will
not be permitted to take any part time/ full time assignment. He/ She will not accept any
salary, fellowship or any type of financial assistance offered during the tenure of
fellowship through any other source otherwise the entire amount of fellowship will have
to be refunded. The nature of the candidature (Full time AICTE sponsored Doctoral
Fellow) will not be changed during the program.
g) The awardees shall give a declaration that if the results of research are such that can be
exploited commercially by taking a patent or otherwise, commercial exploitation and
patent rights should be with the Institute, candidate and supervisor. However, the rules of
respective research institute, if any, in this regards will be applicable.
h) AICTE online portal will have mechanism for the purpose of releasing fellowship/ HRA/
contingency etc. amount directly in the bank account of the beneficiary through DBT.
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i) The service conditions as notified by Department of Higher Education, Ministry of
Human Resource Development vide F. Number 15-2/2019-TC dated 16.07.2019 shall be
applicable to awardees.
j) If the progress of the candidate is not satisfactory as reported by the supervisor/ Head of
the Department /Head of the Research Institute/ University, the fellowship of the
candidature will be terminated with immediate effect. This will not be revoked under any
circumstances.
k) The Ph.D. rules/ regulations of the research institute and affiliating University will be
applicable to all admitted candidates under this scheme.
l) No separate/ fixed medical assistance is provided. However, the fellow may avail of the
medical facilities available in the Institution/ University/ College.
m) Leave:-

(i) Fellows are entitled for a maximum period of (i) 15 days Casual Leave (CL) and
(ii) 30 days Medical Leave (ML) in a year in addition to public holidays. They are
not entitled to any other vacations.

(ii) Candidates are eligible for maternity/ Paternity leave as per GoI norms issued
from time to time at full rates of fellowship etc. once during the tenure of their award.
However, maximum duration of fellowship will not be extended under any
circumstances.

Note: All kinds of leave should be approved at the level of the University/
College/ Institute. Prior approval of the University/ Institution/ College is
mandatory for all types of leaves.

n) Teaching Assistance (Work Load)

Teaching assistantship of not more than 8 hours/ week may be given to scholars
undergoing full time Ph.D. program under AICTEADF scheme and may include
assistance in lab classes, tutorial support etc.

o) Action to be taken in case of leaving the course before completion

The awardees shall furnish an undertaking that in case of his/ her vacating the seat within
the duration for which he/ she has been offered fellowship, he/ she shall be liable to
refund the entire amount fellowship received by him/ her till the date of his/ her leaving
the scheme.
p) The fellow shall not undertake any paid assignment during the tenure of the fellowship
(Except in case of leave without fellowship upto one academic year during the entire
tenure).
q) This scheme will supersede the currently executed NDF scheme on implementation.

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 Annexure A

AFFILIATING TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES WISE SEAT ALLOCATION

S. No of
State Name of Technical University
No. Seats
1 Andhra Pradesh Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Anantapur 8
2 Andhra Pradesh Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada 8
3 Assam Assam Science & Technology University, Guwahati 15
4 Bihar Aryabhatta Knowledge University, Patna 10
5 Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekananda Technical University, Bhilai 15
6 Delhi Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi 15
7 Gujarat Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad 15
8 Haryana Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar 6
9 Haryana J. C. Bose University of Science & Technology (YMCA), Faridabad 7
Haryana Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology,
10 7
Murthal
Himachal Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU), Hamirpur
11 10
Pradesh
12 Jharkhand Jharkhand University of Technology, Ranchi 10
13 Karnataka Visvesvaraya Tech nology University (VTU), Belagavi 15
14 Kerala A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological University, Thiruvananthpuram 10
Madhya Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal
15 15
Pradesh
16 Maharashtra Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere 15
17 Odisa Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Bhubaneswar 10
18 Punjab I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University (PTU), Jalandhar 5
19 Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bhatinda 5
20 Rajasthan Bikaner Technical University (BTU), Bikaner 8
21 Rajasthan Rajasthan Technical University (RTU), Kota 8
22 Tamil Nadu Anna University, Chennai 15
23 Telengana Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad 15
24 Uttar Pradesh Dr. A. P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow 18
25 Uttarakhand Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun 15
26 West Bengal Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Kolkata 15

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