The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) has invited applications for the Vikram Sarabhai Postdoctoral Fellowship, known as VISHWAS, for young researchers pursuing fundamental science with societal relevance. The fellowship has been introduced to honour the vision of Prof. Vikram Sarabhai and will support disruptive and advanced research aligned with scientific areas pursued at PRL.Under the programme, selected fellows will receive a monthly scholarship of Rs 1 lakh along with HRA and other facilities under PRL and Department of Space rules. PRL has announced three fellowship positions. The fellowship will initially be awarded for two years, with annual reviews for renewal. Candidates may also receive a one year extension after approval and justification.Eligibility criteria and selection processIndian nationals holding a PhD within four years from the award of their degree can apply for the fellowship. Applicants must be below 35 years of age on the last application date and should have maintained first class academic records throughout their studies. Researchers already working as PDFs at PRL are not eligible.Shortlisting will be based on academic credentials, research proposals and recommendations received from three referees who are not part of PRL faculty. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for interviews either online or in person after all required documents and recommendations are received.Application process and documents requiredApplicants must complete the online registration process, activate their account through an email link and submit personal, academic, employment and publication details through the application portal. Referee information must also be submitted online, following which recommendation requests will be generated automatically.Candidates are required to upload the abstract of their PhD thesis, publication details and a research proposal prepared in consultation with a proposed PRL supervisor. The proposal must include the motivation, objectives, methodology, expected outcome and first year timeline of the proposed research work.Research proposal requirements and timelinesThe research proposal should outline the introduction, background, methodology, experience relevant to the proposed work and expected outcomes. Applicants must also provide publication details from peer reviewed journals and ongoing work under review. Candidates employed with government departments, public sector undertakings or autonomous bodies will be required to produce a No Objection Certificate during the interview process at PRL headquarters.
