The ASEAN-India Research Training Fellowship (AIRTF) Scheme is a flagship funding program started by Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India under the ASEAN India Science and Technology Development Fund (AISTDF), with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), as their implementation partner to support ASEAN young researchers to work at any of the Indian research/academic Institution. This prestigious fellowship aims at capacity building of young researchers of ASEAN Member Countries in science and technology and further strengthen the bond between India and ASEAN Member States. This fully funded fellowship is for a period of six months each with financial support for international travel, subsistence allowance, research contingency and domestic travel etc.

Applications are invited from ASEAN researchers for award of this fellowship for conducting research in Indian institutions across all areas of science and technology.

Number of Fellowships every year: Fifty (50)

Fellowship Duration: Six (06) months

OBJECTIVES
• Capacity building for young researchers
• Promote mobility of scientists and researchers
• Facilitate exchange of information, contacts and create a network for building research collaborations
• A spin-off opportunity to get co-supervisors from India for their research projects for Ph.D. or Master’s degree on their return to their home countries

Outline of the Fellowship
The objective of The ASEAN-India Research Training Fellowship (AIRTF) is to provide opportunity for ASEAN researchers to conduct research under the guidance of a host scientist in India in order to advance their own research capabilities while fostering scientific and technological cooperation between ASEAN and India.

Fields of Research
All fields of natural and engineering sciences, including mathematics and statistics. Humanities and behavioural sciences are not covered under this scheme.

Eligibility Criteria
• Applicant must hold nationality of any of the ASEAN Member State
• Masters Degree in any Natural Sciences or an equivalent degree in Technology / Engineering / Medicine / allied disciplines
• Upper age limit: 45 years as on date of submission of application
• Applicant should be working in a national R&D or academic institution in his/ her home ASEAN Member country

Please note
# Applicants who have already availed AIRTF in any one of the previous years are NOT eligible to apply.
#Applicants who had applied in any of the previous years but were unsuccessful or could not avail it may re-apply for the current year.

Terms & Conditions of Award
• Round-trip air ticket in economy class from the place of employment in respective home country to the Indian airport nearest to the Indian host institute, through shortest route
• Monthly Fellowship @ Rs. 50,000 for six months for accommodation, meals and other miscellaneous
• One-time research contingency grant of INR 40,000/- for research expenses, airport transfers, visa fee (if any), domestic travel etc.

Fund Utilization Guidelines
• Monthly fellowship to be paid to the candidate by host institute on a monthly basis for covering living expenses.
• Contingency grant will remain with the host institute and will be given to the candidate as and when required. The candidate and Host Indian scientist is required to produce original bills and vouchers to the host institute for availing reimbursements from this grant.
• Contingency grant may be utilized for meeting institutional fee/lab fee, consumable materials, chemicals, equipment, books and journals, including photostat copies, micro-films, typing, stationery, postage, field work and travel expenses for the Fellow in connection to airport transfer for the international travel with approved research project with approval of host scientist.
• Contingency grant is NOT intended for meeting expenditure on furniture, utensils, items normally provided by the College/University/Institution and payment of examination or other fees such as admission/registration/tuition fees etc.
• No funding provision under this fellowship is applicable for – Honorarium for host scientists OR Institution fee/Lab fee

Mandatory Documents to be submitted:
• Copy of Relevant Pages of Passport
• Copy of an endorsement from present employer, duly filled in and signed, along with Signature of the applicant
• A copy of the letter/email from any Indian scientist/ institution with consent to accept you to work with them
• All the enclosures as above must be submitted along with the application. Applications without any of the mandatory enclosures will be rejected

Language of Application
• All application forms submitted for this fellowship must be in ENGLISH. Application forms submitted in any language other than English will not be considered for selection process.
• All supporting documents submitted along with application form must also be in ENGLISH. If original document(s) is/are in any language other than English, please enclose authenticated copy of English translation.

Selection Process
• Call for Application in the ASEAN Member Countries
• Initial Screening by DST & FICCI
• Selection Committee Meeting: By the subject matter experts shortlisting the applications, based on merit, and proposed research plan
• Announcement of Selected Fellows through programme website
• Selection/Award letter to fellows by FICCI
• Fellow to share a mutually agreed (with Indian host) travel itinerary with FICCI
• Selected Fellows to approach FICCI for air ticket Upon issuance of air ticket, FICCI to disburse the Fellowship amount to Indian Host Institute Arrival of scholar in Indian Host Institute Language of Application

Obligation of AIRTF Researchers
The Fellows will observe the regulations and procedures stipulated below. If they fail to do so, the Fellowship shall be withdrawn.
• During their tenures, Fellows shall not, either in or outside the host institution, infringe in any way on the human rights of others, including racial or gender discrimination or other forms of abuse.
• Fellows shall stay in India continuously during the tenure of the fellowship and concentrate on their scientific work at the host institution. Fellows shall not engage in other work, either paid or unpaid, during their tenure.
• The Fellows shall follow the rules of the host institution and shall not undertake any acts of research misconduct, e.g., fabricating or falsifying research results and misuse of research funds.
• A Fellow shall submit a research report to the DST and FICCI on completion of his/ her tenure.

Steps to Apply
• Call for Application – Open throughout the year
• Logon to apply : aistic.gov.in/ASEAN/aistdfFellowship
• Hard Copies of the form or any enclosure will not be accepted