PGIMER invites applications For ICMR JRF 2023, check out registration process, eligibility criteria, seats, fee details

Chandigarh: Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) has invited online applications for ICMR JRF 2023 entrance exam.

The online application process began today (20.5.2023) at 9:00 am and will end on 18.6.2023 at 11:55 pm. All candidates are advised to read the information brochure and instructions carefully before starting online registration and ensure that no column is left blank. In the event of rejection of the application form, no correspondence/request for reconsideration will be entertained. They are also advised to download and take a print of the application form. They should retain a copy of the application form till the award of the fellowship.

The candidates must upload only relevant documents wherever required in the online application. The uploading of irrelevant/illegible/fabricated, or password-protected documents may lead to the rejection of the application by the concerned department.

The concerned department will entertain no request regarding any change in the entry, i.e. Name, DOB, Educational Qualification, Experience, Category etc., in the online application Form. After submitting the online application form, the application number and password will be generated.

When submitting multiple online application forms, a candidate, the commission, will consider the latest application form with the latest application number.

Before starting to fill up the online application form, keep at hand the following details/documents/information –

1. Personal details (Name, Father’s Name, Mother’s Name, DOB)

2. Valid and active Email ID

3. Valid and active Mobile number for receiving SMS’s

4. Educational qualifications details with percentage of the marks obtained

5. Scanned photo and signature

6. A facility to take the printout of the application form and fee slip

7. Online Payment facility (Internet Banking / Debit Card / Credit Card)

Steps to fill the registration form –

1. Name of the Applicant: This should be the same as per your certificate/marksheet of Matriculation/10th/SSC

2. Date of Birth: Use the calendar icon to select the correct date. This should be the same as per your certificate/marksheet of Matriculation/10th/SSC

3. Gender: Enter your gender (Male/Female)

4. Mobile Number: This should be valid and unique. You will receive your User ID and Password as an SMS on this number only

5. Confirm Mobile Number: Same as Mobile Number

6. Email Address: This should be valid and unique. You will receive your User ID and Password on this email address only

7. Confirm Email Address: Same as Email Address.

8. Captcha: The Captcha box is a special set of characters displayed on the screen. You will need to retype the characters in the box provided.

The process to fill out the application form -

1. Registered Users click “Already Registered” to access the application form with the User ID and Password received on their email and mobile number.

2. Click on the ‘Go to Application Form’ button and read the instructions carefully.

3. Read the Note on the pop-up page of the Form before filling in the information. The candidates need to fill out the form section-wise. Once the mandatory details are filled in, they can move to the next section by clicking Save and Next.

4. Upload scanned photograph and signature as per specifications. The photograph and signature should not appear blurry after upload. Save the signature and photograph in “.jpg" format.

5. Special care should be taken while making payment, as the fee for the application form is not refundable under any circumstances.

6. Once the last section is completed and click on Submit button. The candidates will be redirected to the payment gateway. After a successful transaction, a payment acknowledgement slip (with a unique application number, transaction ID, applicant name, category, exam fee and post applied for) will be generated. The candidate should download it for any future communication regarding the application form.

Application processing and examination fee –

1. Fee for General/EWS/OBC: Rs. 1500/- +Transaction charges as applicable.

2. Fee for SC/ST: Rs. 1200/- +Transaction charges as applicable.

3. Fee for PwBD/Transgender: Exempted from payment of a fee

All candidates must deposit the above fee through the online payment gateway available at ICMR-JRF 2023 application portal w.e.f.20.05.2023. Payment through UPI may be avoided.

Candidates will have to upload scanned copy of –

1. Their recent passport-size colour photo (maximum of 50-200 KB Size in JPEG/JPG format)

2. Their recent scanned signature (maximum of 50-200 KB Size in JPEG/JPG format)

3. Qualification Documents

4. Category/Caste certificate

The ICMR will hold a National level examination on 8.7.2023 to determine the eligibility of Indian National candidates for the award of JRF through ICMR. The award of JRF to the successful eligible candidates will depend on their finding placement in a medical college/hospital/university/national laboratory/institution of higher learning and research as applicable. Fellowship will be initiated from the date of PhD enrolment (generally within one year from the date of issue of JRF award letter), and it will be treated as the date of joining, the total duration being five years or submission of PhD thesis (whichever is earlier).

A total of 165 Fellowships would be awarded (including the EWS category as per Govt. Rules) to work in the field of biomedical sciences with emphasis on Life Sciences, including paramedical subject areas like biochemistry, bioinformatics, biophysics, biotechnology, genetics, human biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, pharmacology, physiology and other subjects like nursing, zoology, botany, environmental sciences and veterinary medicine addressing biomedical health research. Agriculture extension/soil sciences, etc., will not be considered.

A total of 33 (including the EWS category as per Govt. Rules) fellowships would be awarded in Social Sciences only in subjects like anthropology, health economics, home sciences, psychology, public health, sociology, social work and statistics.

Two separate merit lists, one comprising the candidates qualifying for Life Sciences and the second for those qualifying for Social Sciences, will be made based on their performance in the above exam.

The candidates selected for the JRF program of ICMR would be permitted to enrol themselves for the PhD program in biomedical/health research subjects of any University/Medical College recognized by the UGC/NMC.

Another 100 candidates list may/may not be declared for consideration for positions of JRF under various research projects funded by ICMR (subject to fulfilling the conditions for appointment under the schemes) for the duration of that scheme as per the decision by the Competent Authority of ICMR. These 100 additional JRFs, if declared, would also be permitted to complete PhD while working in the scheme, if enrolled for PhD The validity of this result (if declared) will be given for two years to find a placement only in ICMR-funded projects, subjected to vacancy.

The candidates note that SC/ST/OBC/PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) candidates in the General category will be given special consideration/reservation as per Govt. policy guidelines.

Educational qualification –

1. MSc/MA or equivalent postgraduate (PG)degree(subject areas mentioned in Section 5.1, pg. no. 7 of the prospectus enclosed below) with minimum 55% marks for General/EWS candidates and 50% for the OBC/SC/ST and PwBD candidates. As per NMC rules, MBBS is not a PG degree.

2. A candidate who is appearing/has appeared in the final year (IV/VI Semester, whichever is applicable, and final year where the Semester system is not there) of M.Sc./MA or equivalent postgraduate examination during the session (2022-23) can also apply for the exam as RA (Result Awaited). Such candidates must submit the attestation format (given in annexure-I duly certified by the Head of the Department/Institute over their signature and rubber stamp (with address and name) where they are appearing in the final year examination. However, such candidates shall be admitted to the exam provisionally. They shall be considered eligible for JRF only after they submit the proof of having passed the Master's Degree examination with the requisite percentage. The MSc/MA or equivalent postgraduate degree mark sheet must be submitted to ICMR by 30th September 2023; otherwise, candidature selection will automatically be forfeited.

Age limit –

The age limit for admission to the eligibility test is 28 years as of the last date of application (the upper age limit is relaxable up to five years in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST, PwBD and female candidates, three years in the case of OBC category.

Syllabus –

1. As prescribed by UGC.

2. A sample question paper for ICMR JRF Examination is available on the ICMR website.

Reservations of seats –

1. It will be based on the following categories –

2. Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) & Other Backward Classes (OBC)

3. Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD)

4. Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)

The details related to each category are enclosed in the notice below.

Summary of ICMR-JRF 2023 entrance exam pattern –

1. Mode of Examination - Computer-Based Test (CBT)/Online

2. Duration of Examination - 02 hours (two hours), i.e. 120 minutes

3. Tentative date of Examination – 8.7.2023 (from 09.00 AM to 11.00 AM)

4. Number of Shifts – 1

5. Location of Examination Centres - Tentatively 21 cities in India

6. Language of Paper – English

7. Type of Examination - Objective Type

8. Marketing Scheme - Each question carries one mark. Negative marking @ 0.25 will be made for each wrong answer.

9. Number of Questions - The paper will consist of two Sections. The Aptitude Section (Section A) will have 50 questions on (i) scientific phenomena in everyday life; (ii) general knowledge in Sciences; and (iii) common statistics. The subject Specific Section (Section B & C) would pertain to (B) Life Sciences and (C) Social Sciences. Each area of sections B & C would have 100 questions, and the candidate will attempt any 75 questions in the predesigned area of Section B or C.

Admit card –

1. To download admit card, the candidates need to visit the PGIMER website: www.pgimer.edu.in or the ICMR website: www.icmr.nic.in and click the same link 'ICMR-JRF Exam–2023' which will take them to the same portal where they had filled your online application form.

2. Click the ‘Login’ button to log in with their login ID and password.

3. Click 'PRINT ADMIT CARD' to download and print the admit card.

4. Admit cards will not be sent by Post.

5. Intimation about when to download the admit card will be sent to the candidates on their registered mobile number/email.

6. Roll numbers/admit cards for appearing in the entrance examination will be available for download to eligible candidates approximately 10 days before the entrance exam date.

Result/ answer key –

1. The answer keys for the ICMR-JRF examination will be uploaded on the ICMR New Delhi website after three (03) days of the exam.

2. The answer key will contain the right answers to the questions. The candidates can cross-check their answers with the answer keys and calculate their probable score well before declaring the final result.

3. If the candidate finds any discrepancies/doubts regarding the answers in the examination, they can communicate the same to the Administrative Officer (Academic) through e-mail: chandraganesh@pgimer.edu.in within 48 hours after uploading the answer keys.

4. Fee of Rs. 500/- per question is payable; if the objection/doubt is found valid/justified, then the fee (Rs.500/-per valid objection/question) will be refunded. If objection/doubt is found invalid, the fee will be forfeited.

5. Revised key, after considering the representation, will be announced on the ICMR website in due course of time.

6. ICMR’s decision on the representation/observation shall be final, and the result will be declared based on the final answer keys.

Joining time –

Selected candidates must join their respective fellowships on the prescribed date as indicated in the award letter issued by ICMR. The selection of those who fail to join by the specified date shall automatically stand cancelled.

Duration and emoluments of ICMR JRF –

1. Candidates qualifying for the award of JRF will receive a fellowship from ICMR.

2. The value of the fellowship is Rs.31000 per month.

3. The duration of JRF will initially be limited until two years, carrying a monthly stipend of Rs.31000 plus House Rent Allowance (HRA) as applicable per Govt. rules and an annual contingency grant of Rs.20000 per annum.

4. The progress of research work would be evaluated annually through annual progress reports (APR).

5. On completion of two years as a JRF, the monthly stipend of a fellow may be increased to Rs. 35000 plus HRA from 3rd year onwards based on the assessment of the candidate's research progress/achievements and upgradation report recommendation as submitted by the Institute’s Assessment Committee. The fellow will be called a Senior Research Fellow (SRF) upon such a recommendation.

6. If the Committee does not recommend upgradation, the fellow will continue as JRF with a stipend of Rs.31000 per month for the 3rd year, or the ICMR may terminate their fellowship.

7. SRF may be for a maximum duration of three (03) years. Thus, the total tenure as JRF plus SRF shall not exceed 05 (five) years or until submission of PhD thesis (whichever is earlier).

To view the notices, click on the links below -

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/jrf-210108.pdf

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/icmr-jrf-210107.pdf