This fellowship aims to address the underrepresentation of women in biomedical research by encouraging and supporting women scientists who have taken a career break to return and pursue their research careers. Recognizing that many women pause their careers due to motherhood and family responsibilities, this scheme provides an opportunity for them to re-enter the field of biomedical/health research.

Eligibility Criteria:

To be eligible for this fellowship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Citizenship: Must be an Indian citizen.

2. Employment Status: Must be currently unemployed.

3. Career Break: Must have experienced a recent career break of at least one (1) year and not more than five (5) years.

   • The break-in career must be substantiated with valid reasoning.

   • Preference will be given to women whose breaks were due to motherhood or family reasons.

   • Breaks due to medical reasons must be supported by a certificate from a government hospital.

   • Breaks awarded for administrative reasons are not eligible.

4. Age: Must be between 30 and 45 years of age as of the last date of receipt of the application.

   • Age relaxation is applicable for candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC and Physically Challenged categories as per Government of India rules.

5. Academic Qualifications: Must meet the requirements for one of the two categories:

   • Category A: Possess an M.D./ M.S./ M.D.S. OR MBBS/ BDS/ M.VSc./ M.Sc./ M.Pharma/ M.Tech or equivalent qualification WITH a Ph.D. in a topic related to health research.

   • Category B: Possess an MBBS/ BDS OR M.Sc./ M.Pharma/ M.Tech or equivalent qualification AND be enrolled in a Ph.D. program with at least two (2) years of work experience after obtaining the qualifying degree.

6. Exclusions: Candidates currently employed or holding any other fellowship or financial support are not eligible.

7. Preference: Preference will be given to candidates with research publications in indexed journals.

Research Plan and Application:

1. Applicants must submit a research plan in one of the identified areas of research (as specified in para 4 of the original scheme document – please refer to the official announcement for these areas).

2. The application must be submitted through a recognized host institution (Medical College / Bio-medical Research Institute / Central or State University).

3. The applicant must identify and plan to work under the supervision of a regular faculty member at the chosen host institution.

Financial Support for DHR fellowship for women

The fellowship provides a monthly stipend and an annual research grant:

1. Category A:

   • Stipend:

     • Rs. 90,000/- per month (Consolidated) for candidates with Medical qualifications (MD/MS/MDS/MBBS/BDS).

     • Rs. 67,000/- per month + HRA (as per norms) for candidates with Non-Medical qualifications.

   • Research Grant: Up to Rs. 10.00 lakhs per year.

   • Duration: 3 years.

2. Category B:

   • Stipend:

     • Rs. 65,000/- per month (Consolidated) for candidates with Medical qualifications (MBBS/BDS).

     • Rs. 48,000/- per month + HRA (as per norms) for candidates with Non-Medical qualifications.

   • Research Grant: Up to Rs. 10.00 lakhs per year.

   • Duration: 5 years or until completion of Ph.D., whichever is earlier.

The research grant is intended to cover expenses related to fieldwork, consumables required for the research, and travel for attending meetings related to the project.

Important Conditions:

• The fellowship is awarded specifically to the applicant scientist for the proposed research area and cannot be transferred.

• The fellow must work under the supervision of a faculty member at the host research institute.

How to Apply:

(Note: The provided text does not specify the application procedure, deadline, or where to find the application form. Applicants should refer to the official announcement or funding agency website for complete application details.)

Eligible women scientists are encouraged to apply for this fellowship to resume their valuable contributions to biomedical and health research in India.