Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs
For Post-Doctoral Researchers (PDR) with independent fundingTel: 914023132128
The Office of Post-doctoral affairs (OPDA) has been established to provide administrative support to post-doctoral researchers (PDR) in the University and act as a liaison between the PDRs’, the University administration and external funding agencies.
The term Post-doctoral Researcher includes independent Scientists funded under various schemes of the Government of India (such as Ramanujan Fellowship, Ramalingaswamy Fellowship, ICSSR, NBHM, DST fast Track, DST Women Scientists, DST INSPIRE fellow, CSIR RA, UGC DS Kothari/SC/ST/Women PDF and other independently funded Post-doctoral Programs) and non-governmental (national and
international) organizations.
Guidelines and regulations to be followed by the PDRs:
Selecting / Hosting a PDR
1. Selection procedure:
All applications submitted by a PDR must be routed through OPDA and the consent of the Mentor must be obtained before
submitting the application to the funding agency. A copy of the ‘Guidelines for Faculty’ is circulated to all the Schools / Departments /Centres and is available in OPDA office). It is recommended that all Schools/Departments/Centres (hereafter called academic units) should
(1) have the head of the academic unit or a faculty member nominated by the head as the Faculty-in-charge of postdoctoral affairs, and
(2) evaluate the academic (including availability of a faculty member with overlapping interests) and infrastructural (lab space, office space, etc.), feasibility of the proposal
prior to agreeing to select/host a PDR. The evaluation can be carried out by a committee constituted by the head of the academic unit. The OPDA format of the ‘Three Member Committee’ (available on the webpage) must be submitted along with a request for forwarding the application for funding. Copies of all documents submitted to the funding agency, including certificates, project proposal and ‘Three member
committee’ report must be submitted to OPDA. The same project proposal cannot be submitted for funding to two different schemes.
2. Reporting to School/Department/Centre:
Upon selection, the post-doctoral researcher, on arrival in UoH, should report to the Head of Department / Co-ordinator or Director of Centre/ Dean of School where the fellowship will be implemented. If the fellowship requires a mentor who is a faculty member of the University, then the PDR should first report to the mentor and then to the head of the academic unit.
In case the funding agency does not require a mentor, the head of the academic unit may nominate a faculty member, to whom the PDR reports, as host. Thus, all PDRs should have one permanent faculty member as host or mentor.
3. Issue of ID card and Registration number: The PDR can obtain the ID card by furnishing details in the prescribed format (available on Webpage), along with a copy of the Sanction order from the funding agency plus a passport size photograph. The application duly forwarded through the proper channel (Mentor / Head of Dept / Centre / Dean of School) along with a receipt for payment of Rs 200/- must be
submitted to OPDA and then to the Academic section. The Academic section will issue a Photo ID card with a unique registration number for each PDR which will enable access to the library, email facility and also entry into the University campus. A copy of the ID card has to be submitted to the OPDA so that the registration number can be communicated to all relevant sections of the administration. The PDR should
give an undertaking that loss of an ID card will be informed to the OPDA immediately. Duplicate ID cards will be issued only on submission of a copy of an FIR filed in a police station.
4. Joining report/Sanction Order: Two copies of the joining report (format in Webpage) forwarded through the proper channel (Head of Department / Co-ordinator or Director of Centre/ Dean of School) must be submitted to OPDA. The OPDA will then issue a sanction order enabling the PDR to receive a salary, subject to release of the grant by the funding body.
5. Registration of PDR: Each PDR is required to submit a self-generated registration format forwarded through the proper channel (Mentor / Head of Department / Coordinator or Director of Centre/ Dean of School) to the OPDA, every six months from the date of joining. The renewal of registration has to be accompanied by a specific recommendation of the head of the academic unit and host/mentor for renewal.
6. Leave: Any leave of absence of more than 15 days has to be approved by the concerned authorities (Mentor / Head of Department / Co-ordinator or Director of Centre/ Dean of School) and forwarded to the OPDA for the record. It will be the responsibility of the above authorities to report to OPDA if a PDR is absent for more than 15 days without a leave application so that necessary action (such as stoppage of salary) can be taken. Eligibility for maternity leave will be as per University and/or funding agency regulations.
7. Renewal of fellowship: All funding agencies renew fellowships of PDR based on submission of an annual report and a fund utilization certificate (UC). The fund utilization certificate will be issued by the Finance and Accounts (F & A) section and not the OPDA. The documents will then be forwarded to the funding agency by the OPDA. It will be responsibility of the PDR to submit the required documents for renewal of fellowship.
8. Payment of Taxes: Each PDR will have to pay taxes as required by the current Government of India rules rules which will be done by the Finance and Accounts (F & A) section.
9. Library books: The PDR can borrow books from the Indira Gandhi Memorial Library (IGML) as per the guidelines available on the IGML website. A “No dues” certificate from the library should be attached to the registration renewal form.
10. Purchase of equipment/consumables and expenditure on contingencies: If the fellowship scheme allows the purchase of equipment and/or expenditure on consumables and contingencies then the PDR has to follow the regulations laid out in the UH Purchase policy document available on the University website. The OPDA plays no role in regulating the expenditure; this has to be done in consultation with the head of the respective academic unit. A copy of the final purchase order may be submitted to the OPDA for the record.
11. Appointment of technical staff in the project: If the fellowship scheme allows for the appointment of technical staff/JRF etc. then the PDR has to follow the regulations of the University (a copy of which will be available with the OPDA). On completion of the selection process, a copy of all documents (original advertisement, the constitution of the selection committee, minutes of the selection committee, CVs’ of selected candidates, appointment order and joining report of the selected candidate in original) is to be submitted to the OPDA for record. It may be noted that PDRs are not permitted to supervise MPhil and PhD students, as per the University Statutes. However, heads of
academic units may allow, in consultation with CE’s office, co-supervision of M.Tech/M.Sc. projects by a PDR.
12. Overheads: The overheads in PDRs’ projects will be used by the University for purposes as it deems fit.
13. Submission of project proposals: PDRs’ can submit a project proposal for funding if and only if a permanent member of faculty is a co-investigator.
14. Contribution to teaching programmes: The heads of respective academic units can, on their discretion, allot teaching duties to the PDR.
15. Health Centre: The PDR can be allowed access to the health centre of the University based on the ID card issued for outpatient services only.
16. Termination of fellowship: The PDR has to give notice of a minimum of thirty days to the concerned School/Department/Centre and also comply with requirements of the funding body, prior to resignation from a fellowship before its completion. This must be conveyed to the OPDA immediately by the School/Department/Centre. Any excess payment made to the PDR will be recovered by the University following due process if the minimum notice period is not given to the School/Department/Centre. The PDR has to submit a no dues certificate from all the relevant sections of the University to the OPDA at the end of the fellowship (irrespective whether the PDR has resigned early or at the expiry of the fellowship).
17. Discipline issues: All discipline related issues will be dealt with by the University in accordance with existing regulations for faculty members. The Vice Chancellor’s decisions on these issues will be final and binding.
Eligibility conditions for International Post-Doctoral Fellows
Applications can only be received from Foreign Nationals/Scholars wishing to pursue PostDoctoral Fellowship (PDF) studies at the University of Hyderabad, provided:
a. The scholars possess a Foreign passport and are resident in their home country at the time of application;
b. Those scholars who possess a Foreign passport and who have completed their education in India, especially whose qualifying degree/s are from India, must have returned to their home country in order to be considered eligible as International PDF.
1. All PDFs are required to submit an application form with the required documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Application form attached.
2. In case the applicant is availing Study/Sabbatical Leave or any other type of leave from the Institute/University that they are working in, their application should be forwarded through the respective authorities in their home country. This should be accompanied by a letter clearly indicating that they have been sanctioned leave.
3. Applicants must obtain consent in the prescribed format of a committed faculty member in their area of specialization at the University of
Hyderabad.
4. All applications submitted by a PDF must be routed through the Office of International Affairs, University of Hyderabad.
5. The project proposal must be submitted and the same proposal cannot be submitted for funding to two different schemes.
6. The University of Hyderabad will not provide any financial assistance to the International PDFs as they are expected to independently apply for fellowships/ sponsorships on their own before submitting an application for a PDF position.
7. There is no separate accommodation for PDFs and therefore, they have to make their own arrangements towards board and lodging etc.
8. All PDF scholars selected have to pay US $300 (equivalent to Indian Rupees) towards affiliation fee.
9. International PDFs have to submit a Research Visa at the time of admission. They have to apply for Research Visa in their home country before coming for admission, in case their application has been cleared and approved by the University.
Guidelines for Faculty members hosting PDRs
The following guidelines are applicable for selecting/hosting Post Doctoral Researchers (PDR) with independent funding and not for those employed in Extra-Mural funded Projects.
1. Only permanent faculty members who have guided a minimum of THREE Ph.D. scholars whose degrees have been awarded are eligible to mentor PDRs.
2. The number of PDRs permissible under a faculty member will be determined by the number of Ph.Ds completed (not registered) under the guidance of the Faculty. One PDR is permitted for every three Ph.D. students guided.
3. Faculty who have superannuated cannot serve as Mentor for PDRs.
4. Faculty with less than 3 years of service can opt for a PDR only upon identification of a Co-Supervisor who has active service longer than the tenure of Post Doctoral Fellowship (at least 3 years).
5. Mentors for ongoing PDRs and who have consented to serve as Mentors for new applications must identify a Co-Supervisor if they do not qualify under conditions 2 and 4.
6. Senior Faculty given Special Chairs for Life are allowed to take PDRs under their mentorship.