DBT - BioCARe Programme

DBT – BioCARe Programme

Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) Programme, a special scheme of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, aims to enhance the participation of women scientists in India towards research in Biotechnology and allied area. The programme is mainly for the career development of unemployed female scientists for whom it will be the first “sanctioned” extramural research funding. Through this endeavour of the Department, a concerted effort would be made to give women scientists a strong foothold into the scientific profession, to help them re-enter into the mainstream and to provide a launch pad for further forays into the field of science and technology. Accordingly, applications are invited from Indian female scientists to apply in the programme.

Areas of Support

• Animal and Marine Biotechnology or allied areas
• Bioengineering and Biomaterials or allied areas
• Medical Biotechnology or allied areas
• Environmental Biotechnology and Bioenergy or allied areas
• Plant and Agriculture Biotechnology or allied areas

Eligibility Criteria 

The scheme is meant for Indian Female Scientists only. 

• Employment: Candidates in regular or permanent employment are not eligible to apply for BioCARe. However, women scientists who are working in any temporary positions in research or academics may apply in the scheme but they have to leave their earlier assignment if a project is approved to them under BioCARe programme. Candidates who have already received any extramural funding as Principal Investigator for research from any Govt. Funding Agency/Government-supported funding agency is not eligible to apply under this programme as it should be their first sanctioned and independent project for research.
• Age: The woman scientist should be upto/below 55 years, as on the last date of the submission of the application. 

Educational Qualification

1. Category-I: Women Scientists who have completed Ph.D. in any discipline of Life Sciences or allied areas/interdisciplinary sciences/MD/MDS/ M.V.Sc. 
2. Category-II: Women Scientists who have completed M.Tech in Biotechnology or in allied areas/MPharma/ -Degree holders 

Note: Candidates who are registered in Ph.D and receiving any fellowships are not eligible to apply. 

How to Apply

Interested candidates may submit the online application through Common Fellowship Portal of Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India (https://fellowships.gov.in). The Terms & Conditions of the BioCARe programme are available at Department of Biotechnology website (https://dbtindia.gov.in).

Application Last Date

The last date for submission of application will be sixty (60) days from the date of advertisement of call for applications i.e. 1st December, 2024.

Selection of the Candidates

Advertisement for inviting applications

The scheme of BioCARe programme will be advertised on PMU and Department of Biotechnology website. The desirous candidates are required to apply through the link created on the website or as specified. Applications received through any other mode/channel will not be considered and are liable to be rejected. The process requires one full application with two parts. Part A requires General Information of Applicant and Part B requires details related to the research proposal, budget and regulatory details.

Selection Process

• The eligible applications will be screened by an Expert Committee constituted by the Department for shortlisting based on following parameters: 
  • Novelty 
  • Scientific merit 
  • Experience and the qualification of the Applicant as well as Mentor 
  • Publications record 
  • Infrastructure of the Host Institution 
• Shortlisted applicants will be required to submit their full proposal that will be peer reviewed and based on the reviews, the selected ones will have to present their research proposal to the Expert Committee.
• Once the project is technically approved, a formal sanction order will be issued as per the recommendations of the Expert Committee (EC). The total cost of the project will be based on the latest quotation(s) of equipment(s) approved under the project and other relevant documents related to consumables etc. submitted by the applicant.

Requirement of a Mentor

For the successful implementation of the program, the candidates should select a mentor for the project proposal. The detail of the Mentor (male/female) is mandatory in the application. She/he should be a permanent employee at the Host Institute and should not be spouse or relative of the applicant. He/She will be the person in whose laboratory & under whose supervision the applicant intends to carry out the project under BioCARe programme. The proposal submitted under BioCARe scheme should be applicant’s initiative and should not be an extension of the Mentor’s research. The proposed research is expected to complement and benefit from the Mentor’s research interests and expertise. 

The Mentor must 

• Have a permanent employment at the Host Institution and should have at least 5 years of service remaining. 
• Guarantee the applicant access to laboratory space and resources required for the project, provide relevant scientific guidance and career advice for the tenure of the project. 
• Have at least three ongoing and/or four successfully completed extramural research projects in last five years, funded by government/government-supported agencies as PI.

The candidates through Mentor and Nodal officer of the Host Institute are requested to submit an endorsement letter from the Mentor, in whose lab the applicant proposes to work, along with the application for consideration. The endorsement letter from the mentor should be duly signed & issued on an official letterhead. It should also be forwarded by the Head of the Institution/Competent authority. Without the letter, the application will be tendered incomplete and is liable to be rejected.

Selection of an Institution

An applicant can submit his application for research grant from a government- supported/government funded (such as central universities, state universities, autonomous institutions, Private University/Institute etc.) or Indian “non-profit” Institution. The Institution will be required to adhere to the guidelines & conditions outlined by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. 

Note: Mentor or any other officer from the Institute should not be related to the applicant in any way.

Date of Commencement of Project & its Duration

• The duration of the project is of three (3) years and is specified in the sanction order. 
• The project starting date will be effective from the date on which the candidate joins the Institution but within 45 days from date of issuance of sanction order. The date of receipt of grant should be intimated by the Institution authorities/Mentor and Nodal officer to this Department. It will, in no case be later than 15 days after the receipt of the grant by the Institute. 
• The successful candidates have to join their host institution within 45 days from the date of issuance of the sanction order, else it would be withdrawn. 

Project Cost & Fellowship to Project Investigator 

Project Cost & Fellowship: Based on the applicant qualifying degree, the budget support is provided in following two categories: 

The requested budget is indicative only and is not mandatory to get the complete fund. 

• Non-Recurring Budget: Request for expensive and/or large equipment is not allowed. It is expected from the applicants to choose appropriate Laboratories and Institutions where majority of the necessary equipment, instruments and facilities required for the project are already available. Request for minor equipment, which is critical for the execution of the project, must be supported by a strong scientific justification. Consideration of such request in the application will not guarantee its approval or availability. The budget under this head is restricted to 10% of the total allowed research grant. 
• Recurring Budget: All research related expenses such as purchase of consumables, contingency expenditure, domestic travel and overhead charges will be considered under recurring head. These expenses in the application must be supported by proper scientific justification and cost measures relied upon. Applicants should submit a request for their salary under research fellowship sub-head of recurring head. The grant would be provided as a consolidated amount. 
• No fund will be provided for hiring of any manpower such as JRF/SRF/Project Assistant/Lab Technician/RA/Project Associate etc. under the project sanctioned.
• The Department may conduct a workshop for the selected candidates and nodal officers of the respective institutes after joining to impart them training related to submission of technical and financial documents as when asked/required. 

Important Notes for Candidates 

• Applicants cannot use this programme to pursue their PhD/higher studies.
• Applicants with MSc degree or those pursuing PhD/ MTech/ MPharma/ MVSc/ MD/ MDS/equivalent are not eligible to apply.
• The applicant must have been successfully awarded PhD/ MTech/ MPharma/ MVSc/ MD/ MDS/equivalent degree before applying. 
• The applicants currently availing any postdoctoral or contractual fellowship have to resign from the same before accepting the project under BioCARe programme. 
• The applicant cannot hold another Fellowship/Grant/Award that provides them salary/stipend/emoluments/personal support concurrently with BioCARe project. 
• The applicants holding or had availed any funding under Women specific scheme of DST or any other funding agency are also not eligible to apply. 
• The candidates are required to spend 100% of their research time on BioCARe project. The research time should be corroborated by the Host Institution at the time of submission of annual technical and financial reports. 
• In case the applicant joins any regular employment during the tenure of BioCARe project, then she will not receive any fellowship or honorarium from the BioCARe project. 
• It will be mandatory for the applicant to get a Co-PI nominated from the Institute/Organisation where she intend to join and work as regular employee. All the necessary documents will be required to be submitted again for the same. 
• The applicants must indicate the number of years of experience post-qualifying degree (i.e. PhD/MTech/MVSc/MD/MDS/MPharma) in the application form and will be required to provide documents along with the application. 
• The candidates are required to clearly indicate any non-research career break and submit an evidence along with the application form. 

For further assistance, please go through the terms & conditions or contact the Programme Officer: Dr. Manoj Singh Rohilla, Scientist-F, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Block-2, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003; Email: biocare-pmu@dbt.nic.in; Tel: +91-11- 24363726 or contact DBT-Human Resource Development-Project Management Unit (PMU), Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana-121 001; Email: biocare.dbt@rcb.res.in; Tel: +91-129-2848535. 

Source: DBT - BioCARe Programme