Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowships (DSKPDF) In Sciences

You’ve defended your PhD, submitted your thesis, and finally got your degree. Now what? This is the exact moment where most Indian researchers get stuck — too qualified for a junior position, not experienced enough for a faculty role, and unsure whether to chase a job or continue research.

The Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship (DSKPDF Fellowship) was designed precisely for this gap. Run by the University Grants Commission (UGC), it gives you up to ₹67,000 per month, a contingency grant of ₹1 lakh per year, HRA on top of that, and — most importantly — three fully funded years to build yourself as an independent researcher.

If you have a PhD in science and are currently unemployed, read this carefully. This might be the best opportunity available to you right now.

What Is the Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship

The DSKPDF — short for Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowships in Sciences — was introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2007, on the recommendation of an Empowered Committee chaired by Professor M.M. Sharma.

The fellowship is named after Dr. Daulat Singh Kothari, an eminent Indian physicist and educationist who also served as the first Chairman of the University Grants Commission. His vision was to strengthen India’s scientific research culture at the university level — and this fellowship is a direct extension of that mission.

The core idea is straightforward: after a PhD, researchers need protected time, funding, and mentorship to transition from being a supervised student to an independent researcher. The DSKPDF provides exactly that — a structured, fully funded, three-year post-doctoral pathway within the Indian university system.

What makes it different from most other fellowships is its rolling application mode — there is no fixed deadline. You can apply as soon as your PhD is awarded, and the selection process is completed within six weeks of receiving your application.

Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship — Key Details at a Glance

Updated Fellowship Amount Since January 2024 — Most Articles Still Show Old Numbers

This is where most information online is outdated. UGC revised the DSKPDF fellowship amounts with effect from January 1, 2024. If you have seen ₹43,800 or ₹45,000 mentioned elsewhere, that is the old rate. Here are the current figures:

The revised rates apply to both new awardees and existing fellows already on the fellowship. The HRA calculation is also now based on the revised fellowship amount.

Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility requirements are fairly straightforward, but there are a few conditions that many applicants miss — and some of them are disqualifying.

Basic Qualifications

• You must hold a PhD degree in a Science subject. A provisional certificate is acceptable if the formal degree has not yet been issued.
• Published research work is preferred but not mandatory — it does carry weight in selection.
• You must be unemployed at the time of application. Candidates in regular service are not eligible.

Age Limit

• General category: Below 35 years
• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): Up to 38 years
• SC / ST / Women: Up to 40 years
• Persons with Disabilities (PwD): Up to 45 years

Conditions Most Applicants Miss

• The fellowship is only tenable at UGC-funded Indian Universities and UGC Inter-University Centers — not at IITs, NITs, CSIR labs, DRDO, or DAE laboratories.
• You cannot do your postdoc at the same institution where you completed your PhD. The scheme actively encourages researchers to move to a different institution and, ideally, a different research area.
• Your PhD supervisor cannot be your DSKPDF mentor.
• You cannot hold any other fellowship, salary, or stipend alongside DSKPDF. If you are currently on another fellowship, you must surrender it before accepting this one.
• Candidates who have previously availed any UGC Post-Doctoral Fellowship are not eligible to apply.
• If you applied earlier and were declared unsuccessful, you must wait one year from the date of result declaration before reapplying — and only with a completely new research proposal.

Where Can You Do the DSKPDF — Eligible Institutions

This is one of the most important things to verify before applying. The fellowship is tenable only at:

• Indian Universities recognized under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956, with valid NAAC accreditation.
• Deemed Universities under Section 3 of the UGC Act with valid NAAC accreditation.
• UGC-funded Inter-University Centers such as IUCAA (Pune), IUAC (Delhi), UGC-DAE-CSR (Indore), and similar institutions.
• Institutions fully funded by Central or State Governments that are empowered to award degrees.

Not eligible: IITs, NITs, CSIR laboratories, DRDO, DAE labs, autonomous colleges, or affiliated colleges.

How to Apply for Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship — Step by Step

The entire application process is online through dskpdf.ugc.ac.in, managed by Savitribai Phule Pune University as the nodal agency.

1. Identify a Mentor First
   Before touching the portal, find a mentor at the institution where you want to do your postdoc. The mentor must be affiliated with an eligible university or UGC center. Get their written consent for mentorship. Remember — your PhD supervisor cannot be your mentor, and the institution cannot be the same as where you did your PhD.
2. Request Login Credentials
   Go to dskpdf.ugc.ac.in and click on “Request for Login & Password for filling the Online Application.” Fill in your basic details and submit the request form.
3. Verify Your Email
   You will receive a system-generated verification email. Complete the verification. Login credentials will be emailed to you within 10 working days.
4. Fill the Online Application
   Log in and complete the full application — personal details, research proposal, publication list, mentor details, and host institution information. Your research proposal is critical. Make it specific, feasible within three years, and clearly different from your PhD work.
5. Upload Required Documents
   PhD degree certificate or provisional certificate, age proof, category certificate (if applicable), mentor’s written consent, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the host institution — signed by the Mentor, Head of Department, and Registrar/Director.
6. Submit and Wait
   After submission, the selection process is completed within 6 weeks. A standing peer group grades applications electronically, and the Chair of the group takes the final decision based on those grades.

Since the application is open year-round, apply as soon as your PhD is awarded — there is no benefit in waiting.

If your research is in Humanities, Social Sciences, or Engineering rather than Sciences, check out the Dr. S. Radhakrishnan UGC Post-Doctoral Fellowship which covers those disciplines.

Financial Benefits — Fellowship, Contingency, HRA and Leave

Fellowship Amount

The fellowship is paid directly into your bank account through Canara Bank via the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) platform. Aadhaar seeding is mandatory. The amounts, updated from January 2024, are ₹58,000 in Year 1, ₹61,000 in Year 2, and ₹67,000 in Year 3 per month.

Contingency Grant

₹1,00,000 per year, intended for research-related expenses including books, stationery, postage, chemicals, electronic goods, and travel or fieldwork. You will need to maintain and submit accounts for this grant.

House Rent Allowance (HRA)

Three scenarios apply:

• If the institution provides hostel accommodation — you receive only the hostel fees (excluding mess, electricity, water charges). No separate HRA is paid.
• If hostel is unavailable but the institution provides single accommodation — actual rent is reimbursed up to the HRA ceiling as per Government of India norms.
• If you arrange your own accommodation — HRA is paid as per the city category under Government of India norms, calculated on the revised fellowship amount.

Leave Entitlements

• Annual leave: Up to 30 days per year (excluding public holidays), with HOD approval. Summer, winter, and festival vacations are not applicable.
• Maternity/Paternity leave: As per Government of India rules, at full fellowship rate, once during the tenure.
• Academic leave: Up to one year during the tenure, without fellowship or contingency, for academic assignments or research-related foreign travel. This period counts toward the fellowship tenure.

After You Receive the Award — Rules You Must Follow

Once the award letter is issued, you must join within three months. Missing this deadline results in automatic cancellation of the award.

During the fellowship:

• Submit a Continuation Certificate every three months — without this, the next quarter’s fellowship is not released.
• Submit a yearly Progress Report reviewed by a departmental research committee.
• Submit accounts for contingency grants in the prescribed format.
• At the end of the tenure, submit your complete research work to the INFLIBNET and DSKPDF repository. The last two installments are released only after this submission.

The fellowship can be cancelled for misconduct, unsatisfactory research progress, eligibility misrepresentation, concealment of other income sources, or false information. Transfer of research place is permitted only once during the entire tenure, through the host university with intimation to UGC.

5 Reasons Why DSKPDF Is Worth It

1. Build an independent research identity
   During a PhD, most work is supervisor-directed. DSKPDF positions you as an independent researcher — which is exactly what academic hiring committees want to see.
2. Move to a new institution and research area
   The scheme encourages — and in practice almost requires — that you move to a different university and preferably a different research area. This broadens your network, exposure, and long-term academic profile considerably.
3. Three years to publish without distraction
   A funded, full-time research period with no teaching or administrative obligations is rare. Use this time to build a strong publication record — it directly strengthens your faculty job applications.
4. Competitive financial support
   ₹58,000–67,000 per month plus HRA and a research contingency grant is a solid package. It allows you to focus entirely on research without financial pressure.
5. Strong credential for academic recruitment
   A UGC fellowship on your CV carries weight in academic hiring across Indian universities. It signals that your research was independently evaluated and funded at the national level.

DSKPDF vs Other Post-Doctoral Fellowships in India

If you hold a Science PhD and want to do postdoctoral research within the Indian university system, DSKPDF is the most suitable option. CSIR Research Associateship is comparable in amount but is tenable at CSIR labs rather than universities.

Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship — Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fixed application deadline for DSKPDF?

No. The application process runs in a rolling mode throughout the year. There is no fixed deadline — you can apply as soon as your PhD degree is awarded. The selection process is completed within six weeks of application receipt.

Can candidates from Humanities or Arts apply for DSKPDF?

No. DSKPDF is exclusively for Science faculty PhD holders. If your research is in Humanities, Social Sciences, or Engineering, the Dr. S. Radhakrishnan UGC Post-Doctoral Fellowship covers those disciplines.

Can I do the DSKPDF at an IIT or CSIR lab?

No. The fellowship is only tenable at UGC-recognized Indian universities and UGC-funded inter-university centers. IITs, NITs, CSIR laboratories, DRDO, and DAE labs are not eligible host institutions.

Can employed candidates apply?

No. Only unemployed PhD holders are eligible. If you are currently in regular service — government or private — you are not eligible. If you receive a job offer after joining the fellowship, you must resign from the fellowship.

Can I reapply if I was rejected earlier?

Yes, but only after one year from the date the previous result was declared, and only with a completely new research proposal. The same proposal cannot be resubmitted.

How is the fellowship amount paid?

Directly into your bank account via the DBT platform through Canara Bank. Aadhaar seeding is mandatory. The institution does not handle the payment — it goes directly to you.

Can I hold a part-time teaching position alongside DSKPDF?

No. The fellowship strictly prohibits holding any other paid or unpaid appointment or receiving any salary, stipend, or emoluments from another source during the tenure. Violation of this condition can result in cancellation of the award.

Is the Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship Right for You?

If you have a Science PhD, are currently unemployed, are under 35 years of age, and want to build a serious research career — the Dr. D.S. Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship is one of the best opportunities available in India today.

Three funded years, a monthly fellowship that now goes up to ₹67,000, research contingency support, and the credibility of a UGC award — all of this adds up to a genuinely useful career-building tool, not just a parking position while you wait for a job.

Apply directly through dskpdf.ugc.ac.in. The official UGC guidelines are also available on the UGC website for reference.

For more research fellowships and scholarships across all disciplines, explore the Education and Learning schemes on ProjectSarthi — with 800+ central and state schemes listed and updated regularly.