The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) introduces the Prime Minister Professorship, a prestigious initiative aimed at fostering world-class research and innovation within emerging institutions. This program seeks to leverage the expertise of eminent scientists, senior faculty, and accomplished industry professionals to provide mentorship and support to faculty and students in less-endowed state universities, thereby strengthening their research and development culture.

Objective

The primary objective is to utilize the extensive knowledge and experience of active, eminent, and superannuated/retired scientists and professionals. This includes those with outstanding contributions in engineering, science, technology, agriculture, medicine, and social sciences. The goal is to boost research and innovation in collaborative mode at state universities with emerging research capacity.

This initiative aims to strengthen the R&D culture in these institutions by fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. By leveraging the expertise of seasoned professionals, the program seeks to elevate the research capabilities of these universities to globally competitive standards.

Ultimately, the program strives to create a sustainable ecosystem of research and innovation, benefiting both the participating institutions and the broader scientific community.

Eligibility Criteria

The Prime Minister Professorship is open to a diverse range of applicants with strong research credentials. This includes superannuated faculty or scientists from reputed Indian institutions, research laboratories, and private institutions. Overseas scientists, including Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), are also encouraged to apply.

In addition, professionals from industry or experienced Professors of Practice with a distinguished record of research and innovation are eligible. All applicants must be actively involved in research and innovation activities and demonstrate a strong commitment to mentor faculty at eligible state universities.

• Eligible host institutions are the state universities qualified as spoke institutions in Category A of the PAIR program of ANRF.

• Applicants must be willing to relocate to the proposed host institution on a full-time basis.

• Applicants should have a clear plan to contribute significantly to the development of the host institution's research capabilities and innovation culture.

Responsibilities of the Prime Minister Professor

A key responsibility is to enhance the research and innovation capabilities of the target host universities. This involves mentoring faculty and students to pursue world-class research in areas of national interest, including translational research. The PM Professor will also strengthen research and innovation collaborations between established institutions, industry, and less-endowed universities.

This includes facilitating internships for research scholars in established institutions, research labs, or industry for at least 6 months. The PM Professor will also promote sustainable knowledge exchange between these entities.

Ultimately, the PM Professor is expected to play a pivotal role in transforming the research landscape of the host university, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.

Proposal Submission and Evaluation

A joint proposal must be submitted by the applicant in collaboration with various departments from the proposed host university. The proposal should clearly articulate the mentor’s role in the proposed activity of research and innovation. It should detail how the mentor will contribute to the formulation of research projects and outline innovative strategies to enhance the quality of research and innovation at the university.

The proposal should also include plans to encourage and guide faculty and students in undertaking world-class research and innovation projects. These projects should have the potential to significantly impact the academic and research environment of the host university. The mentor must collaborate with the head of the university and various departments to develop a plan for raising the R&D ecosystem of the host university.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the applicants' academic and professional credentials, their distinguished records, and their exceptional contributions. The evaluation will also consider the potential merit, novelty, and innovativeness of the approach to raising the target institution’s research ecosystem to globally competitive standards.

Funding and Duration

The tenure of the PM Professorship will be up to 5 years, based on performance evaluated by an expert committee. There is no upper age limit for applicants who are superannuated on the date of application. A PM Professor will receive a fellowship of Rs. 30 lakh plus Rs. 24 lakh as research grant (consumables, domestic travel, contingencies, equipment etc.) per annum. Also, an overhead of a fixed amount of Rs.1 lakh per year will be provided under the program.

The applicant should not hold any administrative roles and functions during the tenure of the PM Professorship. They should also not receive any honorarium/fellowship/salary from any other institute or organization. During their tenure, the PM Professor will work on a full-time basis at the proposed host university.

The position will be terminated if the PM Professor accepts any other position yielding regular salary/honorarium/fellowship in the future. Support by ANRF under the PM Professorship Program should be acknowledged in all publications, patents, etc. The intellectual property rights arising out of the research work will be governed by the norms of the Host institute.

Online Application Procedure

Applications for the scheme must be submitted online through the ANRF portal at www.anrfonline.in. Applicants must first register on the portal and fill in all mandatory fields under the User Profile section, including Bio-data, Photo, and Institute address. Details of the proposal, such as Activity Title, projected 5-year research plan, Keywords, Objectives, and Expected outcomes, must be provided.

Details of Faculty/ Research Personals and research facilities in the proposed departments/host institute should be provided mandatorily. Other relevant information of the proposal has to be uploaded as a single PDF file, as a Technical Document (OTD). Required documents include the Biodata of PI/Mentor, a Certificate from the Team, an Endorsement Letter from the Head of Institution, and an Undertaking from the PM Professorship applicant.

Ensure all documents are in PDF format and follow the guidelines provided on the ANRF portal for a successful application.