Selection procedure for the scholarship
Candidates shall be shortlisted for an interview based on their performance in the test. Final selection for the scholarship shall primarily be on the basis of performance in the test and the subsequent interview, although the selection committee may take into account other aspects of the candidate’s academic track record.
Important Dates:
- 22 February 2021: Online application portal scheduled to open
11 March 2021(14 March 2021): Application fee hike to kick in21 March 2021(24 March 2021): Application portal to close at the end of this day10 April 2021(11 April 2021)The written test to be held- Exam Date: August 18, 2021
- The following dates are tentative
13 March 2021(16 March 2021): First centre-wise list of candidates for the test to be published20 March 2021(23 March 2021): Second centre-wise list of candidates to be published25 March 2021(28 March 2021): Third and final centre-wise list of candidates to be published- mid May: List of candidates shortlisted for the interview.
Online Application: Click Here
Whom is the scholarship for?
The scholarship is intended to support pursuit of research leading to the PhD degree in Mathematics /Applied Mathematics. To qualify for it, one must satisfy both these conditions:
• Qualify in the test and the subsequent interview;
• Enroll by January 2022 (if not already enrolled) in a recognised PhD programme in Mathematics /Applied Mathematics in a university or institution in India.
Who Can Apply ? (Eligibility)
Anyone who fits at least one of the following three descriptions may apply:
- Enrolled in a full time PhD programme in Mathematics / Applied Mathematics in a recognised university or institution in India;
- Aspiring to enroll in such a programme by January 2022;
- Aspiring for selection in the next round of recruitment for the Integrated PhD programme in Mathematics of an institution that receives from NBHM the test scores for screening for admission to that programme (such as the seven mentioned above).
Details of the scholarship
The scholarship is initially granted for a term of four years, but needs to be renewed every year, the renewal being subject to satisfactory progress as judged by NBHM. It is extendable to a fifth year at NBHM’s discretion. It consists of a monthly stipend and a yearly contingency grant, the rates of which are revised from time to time. The current rates are as follows: monthly stipend Rs31,000/- for the first two years, to be increased, based upon the recommendation of the committee appointed by the scholar’s institution to monitor the scholar’s progress, to Rs35,000/- for the subsequent years; yearly contingency grant Rs40,000/-. In addition, house rent allowance (HRA) is payable as per central government norms.
A precondition for tenability of the scholarship is that throughout its term the candidate must be enrolled in a recognised full time PhD programme in Mathematics / Applied Mathematics in India. This means that the candidate must get enrolled in such a programme by January 2022(if not already enrolled) and such enrolment must continue for the entire duration of the scholarship. If the enrolment should cease for any reason, the scholarship will also cease at the same time. The scholarship will be paid only through the scholar’s institution.
More Details: Read Here
Some Questions/Queries related to NBHM PhD 2021 Exams and Interview
Question: Is any support (e.g., reimbursement of expenses) available from NBHM for travel or stay towards taking the written test?
Answer: No. NBHM doesn’t provide any support or financial assistance to candidates for taking the written test.
Question: Is there a syllabus for the test / subsequent interview?
Answer: No. NBHM does not publish a syllabus. Question papers from the previous years along with keys are available on this repository. These however may bear no predictable relation to this year’s test.
Question: I am interested in joining the PhD / integrated PhD programme in mathematics of IMSc in August 2021. Should I write the test? (This answer applies in particular to students in the 3rd year of their BSc programmes aspiring to join the integrated mathematics PhD programme at IMSc and other institutes mentioned in the answer that follows.)
Answer: Yes, you MUST write the test, for it is also the entrance test for IMSc’s PhD and integrated PhD programmes. The test scores are used also by other institutions, HRI, IISERs (at Berhampur, Mohali, Pune, and Thiruvananthapuram), and NISER among them, for screening applicants to their PhD / integrated PhD programmes. Each institution draws up its own shortlist of candidates to be called for interview based on the test scores. Also, some of these institutions may use various alternative criteria (such as CSIR-UGC NET scores) to shortlist candidates for interview. For more information, you are advised to source it directly from the institutions. [NBHM is involved in these programmes only to the extent of providing the test scores. It takes no further part or responsibility.]
Question: I appeared for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship written test last year but didn’t qualify for the interview (or didn’t qualify in the interview). Can I take the test again this year?
Answer: Yes, provided you are eligible this year too. (See the section “Whom is the test for?” in the advertisement for the eligibility criteria.)
Question: Is the cutoff for the interview dependent upon the zone or uniform throughout the country?
Answer: The cutoff on the test (for selection to the interview stage) is the same across zones. Interviews will be held separately in each zone for the candidates in that zone who meet the cutoff.
Question: I am in my 2nd year of a PhD programme in Mathematics. Am I eligible for the scholarship? Can I appear for the test?
Answer: Yes, you are eligible for the scholarship and are welcome to appear for the test. However, be advised that the fact that you are already in the 2nd year of your PhD programme may have some influence on the selection decision.
Question: I completed the requirements for a masters degree in Mathematics in August 2020 (or some other date), but I do not have my official degree yet. Am I eligible for the scholarship? Can I appear for the test?
Answer: Yes. Not having the formal degree in hand at the time of the test or of the subsequent interview is no disqualification.
Questions about the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship Scheme
Note: Lest that the answers given below on eligibility be misinterpreted, let us mention once and for all here that qualification in the test and subsequent interview is a precondition for grant of the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship.
Question: Can I qualify for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship this year but defer availing it until next year or later?
Answer: No. The qualification cannot be deferred. However the deadline for enrolment in a PhD programme (that is one of the conditions for the tenability of the scholarship) is January 2022.
Question: I am registered in a part time PhD programme. Am I eligible for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship?
Answer: No. Those registered in part time PhD programmes are NOT eligible.
Question: I am enrolled in a PhD programme in Mathematical Finance. Am I eligible for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship?
Answer: No. The scholarship is only for pursuing PhD in Mathematics / Applied Mathematics.
Question: I am currently doing my Masters course in Applied Statistics and Data Analytics. I will graduate in April 2021 and am planning on doing my PhD in a topic in Statistics. Am I eligible to apply for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship 2021?
Answer: Yes / no, depending upon the details. As the advertisement clearly states, the scholarship is only for doing PhD in Mathematics / Applied Mathematics. If your actual research topic is going to be related to statistics, that is fine (meaning that you’re eligible for the scholarship), as long as your PhD degree is going to be in either Mathematics or Applied Mathematics. How you qualify for entry to the PhD programme is immaterial. If you can join a PhD programme (in Maths / Applied Maths) with your masters degree in Applied Statistics / Data Analytics, that is fine too. The scholarship is, however, not tenable for doctoral studies leading to PhD in Statistics or Data Science or Data Analytics (or anything other than Mathematics / Applied Mathematics).
Question: My academic record is not good. For instance, I have not consistently scored above 60% in my bachelors. I am now about to finish my masters and plan to join a PhD programme in mathematics in August 2021. Am I eligible to apply for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship?
Answer: Yes. As the advertisement states, although the selection committee is free to look at all aspects of the academic track record of the candidate, selection for the scholarship will be based primarily on the performance in the written test and subsequent interview. The fact that you have not scored 60% or more in bachelors is not by itself a disqualification.
Question: I have a masters degree in Physics (or some other degree) but want to pursue a PhD programme in Mathematics. Am I eligible for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship?
Answer: Yes, very much. It does not matter how you qualify for the PhD programme in Mathematics / Applied Mathematics. A bachelors / masters degree in mathematics is NOT a precondition for eligibility.
Question: I am enrolled in an integrated PhD programme in mathematics which leads on the way to a masters degree. Am I eligible for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship?
Answer: Yes and no. You are eligible during the “PhD part” of the integrated programme. In other words, you are eligible only after receipt of your masters degree (or suitable certificate) as part of the integrated PhD programme.
Question: Can I hold a CSIR-UGC NET Scholarship as well as a NBHM Doctoral Scholarship?
Answer: No. Generally, only one scholarship is tenable at a time.
Question: Suppose I get selected for the NBHM Doctoral Scholarship. Can I use that to get admission in some PhD programme in Mathematics?
Answer: Getting the scholarship and getting admission to a PhD programme are two separate things. Being selected for the scholarship does not in itself guarantee admission to any PhD programme (at least not that we know of). Having said that, being selected for the scholarship does seem to increase one’s chances of getting admission to PhD programmes. In fact, many institutions insist on a selection to some national scholarship (such as the NBHM) as a precondition for admission to their PhD programme.
Queries Source(Copied From): https://www.imsc.res.in/~nbhm/DST_2021/dst2021_faq.html
P Kalika 