Assured Opportunity for Research Career (AORC) under INSPIRE Faculty Scheme

The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has launched the “Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)” program in 2008. The program aims to attract talent for the study of science and careers in research. INSPIRE includes many components for different age groups. The importance of Assured Career Opportunity in R&D sector has been recognized. INSPIRE Faculty Award Scheme opens up an “Assured Opportunity for Research Career (AORC)” for young researchers in the age group of 27-32 years. The upper age limit as on 1st January 2013 should be 32 years for considering support for a period of 5 years. However, for SC and ST candidates upper age limit will be 35 years. It offers a contractual research award to young achievers and opportunity for independent research in the near term and emerge as a future leader in the long term.

• Each selected INSPIRE Faculty shall be eligible to receive a consolidated amount equivalent to the entry level salary of an Assistant Professor in any IIT system as an Award amount, in addition to a Research Grant of Rs. 7 lakhs per year. The INSPIRE Faculty Award is tenable for a maximum period of 5 (five) years.
• Three routes i.e. Direct (A), Nomination (B) and Institution mode are available for applying by the eligible candidates.
• Under `Institutions Mode’, reputed academic institutions shall be required to adopt and complete the internal process as per guidelines and mechanisms available for the INSPIRE Faculty Award before forwarding names of pre-selected candidates for final selection by the Apex Committee.
• Eligible candidate, who wish to be considered in ‘Direct (A)’ and ‘Nominated (B)’ routes, may send applications directly to the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi for consideration.
• Nominations from academic institutions or Industry R&D through Vice-Chancellors/Directors of Institutions/Heads of Institutions/Presidents and Fellows of Science Academies or Eminent Scientists from India and Abroad based on personal knowledge under `Nominated Mode’.
• Applications from eligible candidates both in ‘Direct Mode (A) and Nominated Mode (B) must reach in the prescribed format completed in all respect with hard copies of the necessary enclosures to The Executive Director, Indian National Science Academy (INSA), Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110002 on or before 28th February 2013.

The Scheme provides a provision of maximum 1000 INSPIRE Faculty Awards per year subject to rigorous and transparent criteria basis met by the potential aspirants.

Amount & Duration of each INSPIRE Faculty Award

• Each selected INSPIRE Faculty shall be eligible to receive a consolidated amount equivalent to the scale of the Assistant Professor of an IIT as Fellowship amount. In addition, a Research Grant of Rs 7 lakh per year for 5 years shall also be provided to each successful candidate.
• The INSPIRE Faculty Award is for a maximum period of 5 (five) years.
• Each INSPIRE Faculty Award shall be regulated as per the guidelines available at the website: www.inspire-dst.gov.in/Scheme_Guidelines.pdf. Candidates need to visit the website and the read the Guidelines for reference before applying in INSPIRE Faculty Award Scheme.

For more dsetails please visit http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in