Online applications are invited for SERB – POWER Research Grants to encourage women researchers. Apply now and earn up to 90 Lakhs!
About SERB Power Research
SERB – POWER Research Grants scheme aims to encourage emerging and eminent women researchers for an individual-centric and competitive mode of research funding to undertake R&D activities in frontier areas of science and engineering. POWER Grants will empower women researchers by funding them under the following two categories:
- Level I: The scale of funding up to 60 Lakhs for three years.
- Level II: The scale of funding up to 30 Lakhs for three years.
Mechanisms of Identification
The SERB-Core Research Grant(CRG) Platform will be used to identify and support women scientists under the POWER Research Grant component. Accordingly, proposals will be received through two streams:
- Stream 1: Direct Applications for POWER Grant(Online).
- Stream 2: Applications sourced from CRG Scheme(All PACs).
Women Researchers who have applied in the current cycle but have not secured funding under CRG will be considered in Stream 2 at an appropriate level (Level I & II). Women scientists who have applied to the CRG Scheme need not re-apply in any of the above streams.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants [Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator(s)(Co-PI(s))] should be Indian citizens.
- The Applicant(s) must hold a regular academic/research position in a recognized academic institution or national laboratory or in any other recognized R&D institution in India.
- Applicants from IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, Central Universities, and National Labs of Central Government Institutions will be considered under the Level I category, whereas applicants from State Universities/Colleges and Private Academic Institutions should apply under the Level II category.
- POWER Grant will be regulated through terms of reference confirming SERB-CRG guidelines.
- The selection will be based on the recommendations of the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) constituted by the Board. If required, the applicants may be called for discussion/presentation.
- SERB POWER grant will be regulated through terms of reference conforming to SERB CRG guidelines except sharing of 50 % non-recurring cost by National Laboratories and Research Institutions.
- Women scientists can not hold POWER Fellowship and POWER Grant at the same time.
- Faculties recruited through the UGC-Faculty Recharge Program are eligible to apply. INSPIRE Faculty, Ramanujan and Ramalingaswamy Fellows are also eligible to apply provided they have at least three and half years of tenure remaining at the time of submission of application.
- Investigators who will be superannuating during the project’s duration or are already superannuated are also eligible to apply. In such cases, a Woman Faculty/Scientist from the host institute who has at least 5 years of service remaining should be associated as a Co-PI. The host institution should allow the investigator to continue after superannuation and provide the required support towards the implementation of the project.
How to Apply?
For successful online submission of the application, the following points may be noted:
- Applicant(s) should first register on the online website click here to register
- After logging in, the applicant(s) must fill all the mandatory fields in the Profile Detail section under User Profile, including Bio-data, Photos, Institute Address, etc.
- If you have CO-PI in your proposal, ensure that all the CO-PI’s are 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 a project (max 1500 characters), Expected output and outcome of the proposal (max 1500 characters), Budget (Research Personnel, 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 a single PDF file not more than 10 MB as another technical document (OTD). Download Template
General Guidelines
Women Scientists cannot hold POWER Fellowship and POWER Grant at the same time.
Contact
Email: serb-power[at]serb[dot]gov[dot]in
FAQs
What is the Level I & Level II in SERB- POWER research grant?
Applicants from IITs, IISERs, IISC, NITs, Central Universities, and national Labs of Central government Institutions will be considered under the level I category.
Whereas applicants from state Universities/ Colleges and Private Academic Institutions should apply under the Level II category.
I want to apply for a SERB-POWER research grant for the first time. What is the maximum amount of the grant the Board will fund?
POWER Grants will empower women researchers by funding them under the following two categories:
Level I: The scale of funding up to 60 Lakhs for three years.
Level II: The scale of funding up to 30 Lakhs for three years.
Does the Board has any priority areas for funding under SERB- POWER research grant?
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.
I am currently executing an CRG project. I want to apply for another project under the SERB-POWER research grant. Will I be funded another project?
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.
Are Co-Investigators allowed in the SERB- POWER research grant project? If they are from different institutions, can the budget be provided separately to the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator(s)?
Yes. Co-investigators are allowed in the SERB- POWER research grant project; provided the work proposed requires complementary expertise for its implementation. A separate budget can also be provided to the Co-Investigator (s) even if they belong to different institutions.
