Below are some of the Frequently Asked Questions related to submission of new project proposal to NFP. If your question is not listed below, kindly contact NFP. This page will be updated routinely.


Please read the FAQ's carefully before submitting your project proposal


Please also read the General Instructions to PI's



Q. How do I find the right area of projects to do ?

A. The NFP website has a list of areas of R&D interest in the field of fusion science & technology. There is also a frequently updated document listing project seeds which can be taken up by interested persons. If the person has an independent idea that he/she thinks can be taken up in the mentioned areas, please feel free to contact NFP.

Q. I have a project idea which does not directly seem to fit into the scheme of things as mentioned in the project seeds document. What do I do ?

A. Please feel free to contact NFP with your project idea. NFP will evaluate your idea and see how it can be appropriately modified to suit the needs of fusion R&D.


Q. Who can apply for NFP projects ?

A. Any person holding a permanent position in any Indian academic/R&D Institution other than those governed by DAE can submit a project proposal to BRFST.


Q. How can one apply for NFP projects ?

A. All NFP projects will be processed ONLY through the on-line portal of DAE-BRNS. However, before submission of the project to the BRNS portal, it is necessary to get the project approved by NFP.  


Q. Can the project have many PI’s ?

A. NO. The project can have only ONE Principal Investigator (PI), but can have multiple Co-PI’s from the same or other institutions.


Q. Does the project need a coordinator from IPR  ?

A. YES. At least one project coordinator from IPR is mandatory.  NFP will help you find a suitable coordiinator for your project proposal.

Q. Can the project have co-PI’s from institutions outside India ?

A. NO.

Q. Can the project have co-PI’s from other institutions within India ?

A. Co-PI's of the project should necessarly be from the same institution as the PI. This is due to the fact that in the event that the PI cannot continue with the project, the Co-PI can take over and complete the project.  It is not possible to transfer the project to a Co-PI from a different institute.



Q. Can the project have a co-PI from an industry ?

A. Yes. However, in case of projects funds are being utilized by the industry as part of the project, separate budgeting needs to be done. Please contact NFP in such cases.

Q. When can the project be submitted ?  

A. The Plasma & Fusion Research Committee (PFRC) holds the review meetings twice a year (Dec-Jan and Jul-Aug). In principle, the projects can be submitted any time of the year. However, for the project to be considered for the Jul-Aug review, the project should be submitted to NFP by 31-March and 31-August for the Dec-Jan review. These deadlines will be strictly followed. Proposals received after the respective deadlines will be automatically considered only for the next review (after 6 months).


Q. Is there a time frame for the project tenure ?

A. Typical project tenure is between 1-3 years with scope for extensions (with and without financial implications) varying between 6-12 months as decided by the Committee.

Q. I have a background in theoretical plasma physics and I wish to take up experimental basic plasma R&D studies. How can NFP help ?

A. NFP believes in capability building activities wherein developing experimental plasma physics capability at the PI’s institution is encouraged. If the PI does not have any experience in experimental plasma physics, he/she may still submit a project proposal with the a co-PI who has experience in experimental plasma physics is included.

Q. What is the procedure for submission of projects to PFRC ?

A. The PI, after identifying the PC will have to submit (1) PPA in BRNS format (2) Budget sheet (Excel) to NFP. The project will be put up to the "Director's Advisory Council (DAC)" of IPR. Once it is approved by DAC, the PC will provide the PI with "CERTIFICATE-2". The PI can then upload the project files to the BRNS portal.


Q. What the category of project that one should select while uploaidng project to BRNS web portal ?  

A. Please choose "NEW REGULARRESEARCH PROJECT" as type of project and "PFRC" as committee while uploading the project.


Q. Can a PI submit more than one proposal ?

A. One PI is allowed to hold only ONE project under BRNS. PI can submit new project, but it will be sanctioned ONLY after the closure of the existing project with BRNS.


Q. How should the deliverables of the project be written  ?

A. The deliverables of the project should be explicitely stated and should not be "open ended".


Q. Is there a budget ceiling for the project ?

A. YES. The PFRC committee can review/approve/sanction only projects with a net value of Rs.35 Lakhs. Projects of value 35-50 Lakhs can be reviewed by PFRC, and will be reviewed once again by a committee member of BRNS. Projects above 50 Lakhs will be reviewed a second time by the BRNS Committee.  


Q. What can I use the "contingency" budget for ?

A. Contingency money can be used for procuring sundry items, books, accommodation charges, repairs of equipment, workshop charges and other non budgeted items required for the project. Contingency money cannot be used to pay any kind of salary.


Q. What can I use “consumable” budget for ?

A. While usage of this is left to the discretion of the PI, as a guideline, this budget can be used for items such as stationery, photocopy, printer toner, chemicals, etc for use in the project. Consumable budget cannot be used to pay any kind of salary.


Q. Can I budget for computers & accessories in my project ?

A. If the project explicitly requires the use of a dedicated computer, then yes. Adequate justification and the detailed specification of the computer needs to be provided (avoid using terms like “high end computer”). Purchase of mobile computing devices / laptop / color laser printer etc. will not be permitted. Purchase of office automation devices is also NOT permitted.


Q. What posts can I hire in the project ?

A. Project posts that are allowed by BRNS are ;  


No.

Project Post

Salary (Rs. p.m.)

Essential Qualifications

i

Junior Research Fellow (JRF)

Rs.25,000/- for 1st & 2nd year

can be re-designation as SRF with a fellowship of Rs.28,000/- after completion of 2 years and successful completion of a review by an expert committee.

Fresh M.Sc/BE/B.Tech   

ii

Senior Research Fellow (SRF)

Rs.28,000/- for 1st & 2nd year,

Rs.30,000/- from 3rd year after successful completion of review.

MTech / ME or

M.Sc./BE/BTECH + 2 years' experience

iii

Research Associate (RA)

Rs.36,000-40,000/- based on experience

Ph.D in Science or MTech/ME with 2 years’ experience

iv

Technical Assistance

Rs.10,000/- pm

As required by the PI


The prospective candidate should be NET/GATE qualified, and/or should have 1st Class in qualifying examination. For positions (i) and (ii), qualification in any NET exam is also sufficient.  The PI has to specify the required qualifications (for example., M.Sc. in material science, M.Tech. in mechanical engineering etc.). In projects more than 2 years, JRF can become SRF after completion of 2 years and successful completion of a review. PI has to make appropriate adjustments in the salary budget head to account for this.


Please note that the PI must budget ONLY for the salary of the staff. HRA / Medical etc need to be claimed separately from BRNS once the project staff has been appointed.



Q. What is the selection procedure to be followed in hiring project staff ?

A.  The PI has to follow the selection norms being adopted by his/her affliate institute while advertising for and the selection process. The advertisement for the selection of project staff  should also be uploaded on the BRNS website. Budget for adviertisement should be borne from the Institutional Overheads. The selection committee should also have the PC (or his/her representative) who could be present in person or via video conferencing/ Skype during the interview process.  Once the candidate(s) for the project position(s) are selected and appointment is done, their details have to be uploaded on to the BRNS web portal.


In addition to the salary, the staff appointed is also entitled to House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Medical Allowance (MA) as per PI’s institute/university rules.  However while applying for funding, only the salary component should be shown. Once the project is approved, PI can raise the bill and claim the amounts for HRA/Medical from BRNS separately.   


Q. What is the process of appointing a project staff ?  

A. The PI shuold follow the procedures of their host institution in calling for applicants, shortlisting and interviewing them and generating the list of selected candidates. The PC needs to be part of the selection process, either in person or by audio/video services like Skype or video conferencing during personal interview process.  Once appointed, the details of the project staff should be communicated to BRNS and uploaded on the BRNS portal.


Q. The project staff hired under the sanctioned project left after 2 months ? What is the procedure for re-hiring another project staff ?    

A. The PI shuold follow the procedures of their host institution in calling for applicants, shortlisting and interviewing them and generating the list of selected candidates.  The PI can choose to create a rank list of interviewed candidates, with that list having a certain time validity. If the project staff leaves within the validity period of the list, the PI can choose the next ranked candidate from the list. If the list is non existant or invalid, then the PI has to redo the process of appointing project staff all over again.



Q. Can I employ scientific / technical /Lab assistants/secretary/clerk etc in the project ?

A. YES. Technical Assistance may be allowed ona case-to-case basis. The PI needs to justify the requirement. Lab assistant.secretary/clerk etc is not permitted.  


Q. I need to fabricate certain items related to my project. How can I budget them ?

A. For project related fabrication costs, the budget can be included under "Technical Assistance".  

Q. Some of the tests required as part of my project are not available in my laboratory/Institute. How can I get them done ?

A. PFRC has a budget head named “Technical Assistance" which is meant for these situations. The PI may budget appropriate amounts wherein services outside his/her institution have to be hired to carry out the tests required for the project. Appropriate justification and detailed budgetting needs to be provided for this budget head.


Q. What is the typical budget allowed under "Travel"

A. Travel budget is subject to location of the PI's institution vis-a-vis IPR and also on the requirement of the project .Travel budget cannot be typically more  than Rs. 1.00 Lakh/ year for a project.  Final sanctioned amount will be at the descretion of the Committee.


Q. What is the typical budget allowed under Contingency / Consumables ?

A. Typically for non-experimental projects, the combined value of these two budgets cannot be more than Rs. 1.00 Lakh/year. For experimental projects, this combined amount can be up to Rs.2.00 Lakhs/ year. In cases where consumables are higher, the Committee will consider it based on the need and justification. For higher amounts under contingency/comsumables, PI has to give appropriate justification and detailed costs for the same.


Q. Can I travel abroad using the project funds ?

A. NO. The PI can use the project travel funds ONLY for travel within India.  


Q. What is Institutional Overheads ?

A. Institutional overhead can be a MAXIMUM of 15 % of the total sanctioned budget (Excluding Contingency amount) which is provided to the host institution in order that basic aminities such as laboratory, electricity, lab assistants etc are provided for the tenure of the project. However, the upper limit of this amount  is  Rs. 6 Lakhs for educational institutions and 2 lakhs for all other institutions.


Q.  Can I use Project funds for infrastructure development of my lab  ?

A. NO. Since BRNS pays a percentage of the total project fund as Institutional overheads, infrastructural items like building, furnishing,  air conditioning, UPS, non-scientific and administrative staff etc have to be provided by the PI’s Institute.


Q. The project requires fabrication and also procurement of materials. How do i budget these items ?

A. The PI may add appropriate amounts to budget heads of "Technical Assistance" for fabrication and "Consumables" for materials.  


Q. How should the "Deliverables" be written in the Project proposal ?

A. The PI should ensure that the "deliverables" are not openended, should be "MEASURABLE". Please write it explicitely, using numbers or a range or numbers to support the claims in the deliveables. For example, if the PI proposes to fabricate an optical detector, then the deliverables should have the desired properties (material, size, wavelength range, sensitivity, dynamic range, mounting type etc) as well as how the PI plans to test these properties.  Also, number of such devices that would be provided to IPR as part of the deliverables.


Q . What documents need to be submitted to PFRC during submission of the project proposal ?

A.  All documents required are to be submitted online to the BRNS web portal https://brns.res.in


Q. How long does it take from project submission to possible sanction of project funds ?

A. After the review meeting is over, BRNS can take a few months to first issue the Sanction Letter and then followed by the first installment of the the project funds. PI can contact BRNS for updates on release of sanction letter / funds.


Q. I have been invited to attend the review meeting. Will I be provided TA/ accommodation ?

A. YES. As you have been invited to attend the review, you will be paid TA as per your entitlement and shared accommodation will also be provided at no cost.  Only the PI of a new project will be provided with TA and accommodation by BRNS. For subsequent review meetings, the PI should use the travel budget alloted to the project for travel and contingency for accommodation.  


Q. Due to certain unavoidable circumstances, I will not be able to attend the review meeting. What alternate options do i have ?  

A. It is mandatory for the PI of the project to attend the review meetings.  The dates of the review meetings are announced well in advance and if in doubt, the PI may always contact NFP. In the event that the PI is not able to attend the review meeting, the project will automatically be removed from that review meeting and will be included in the subsequent review meeting.  


Q. Can the Co-PI of the project also attend the meeting ?

A. Of course Yes. However, only the PI will be provided TA and free accommodation.


Q. What is the project review process  ?

A. The project submitted by the PI is first reviewed internally by NFP and then once approval is obtained, PI's are required to upload the project documents on the BRNS website, from where they would be reviewed by external referees and it is mandatory that at least 3/5 referees give at least 70/100 marks for the project to be considered for review. During the review, the PI would be required to make a 15 minute presentation with the main slides for (1) motivation for the work (2) Work details and schedule (3) Deliverables (4) Equipment / staff (5) Budget. PI is also requested to ensure that he/she completes the presentation well within the prescribed time.


Q. What is the process for ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW ?  

A. Projects will be reviewed only in their PRE-FINAL and FINAL years of their project. For example, if a project has a tenure of 3 years, then the project will be reviewed only at the end of 2nd and 3rd years. Similarly, a 2 year project will be reviewed at the end of 1st and 2nd years. However, All PI's will have to submit the detailed progress report of their project every year. The project will also be reviewed at the end of the extension period, if the project has been granted an extension.


Q. What is the process for yearly review of the projects  ?  

A. PI will have to submit the progress report and the budget expenditure statement and list of equipment to BRNS every year. If additional budget, extension of tenure or re-appropriation of budget from one budget head to other is required, then the PI has to fill and submit the PRA (Project renewal applcation) to BRNS. The Committee will decide if the budget/extension/reappropriation may be granted or not.  


Q. The review dates are 10-11 August and my review is scheduled on 10th August. Do I have to be present on both days of the review . Do I have to be present on both days of the review ?

A. NFP encourages that the PI be present at the venue on both the days of the review so that there is more interaction between the PI and the IPR coordinator of the project in order that the project progresses smoothly.


Q. What are the modes of travel allowed by NFP to attend the review meeting  ?

A. The PI has to travel by AIR INDIA only. Any exemption to this has to be obtained by the PI from the appropriate authorities designated by DGCA. For bus travel, the agency should be recognized by the government. Ticket/travel receipt is mandatory for claiming any travel allowance, including taxi fare.  


Q. What documents should I submit to claim TA  ?

A. The PI has to submit the following TA related documents in original at the time of the review (1) Ticket showing fare (2) Boarding pass (3) Filled TA application form (4) Filled RTDS fund transfer form (5) Copy of cancelled cheque of PI's account.

The TA reimbursement will be done ONLY by bank transfer and can take up to 2-3 weeks after the date of the review.


Q. I am arriving by flight AI-241 from Delhi at 21:00. Will NFP arrange for my pick-up from the airport?

A. No. NFP does not provide airport / railway station pickup or drop off. The PI will have to call the hotel and arrange for the same at your cost.  However, transportation from the designated hotel(s) to the venue of the review meeting will be provided on all the days of the meeting.


Q. My project has been approved and I have received my first year's funding on 2nd January 2016. Can I start using the funds right away ?

A. The financial year for the BRNS accounts ends on 31-March 2016, so technically, the first year of the project ends on 31st March 2016. This means that the first year of the project has only an effective tenure of ~2 months. PI can do the following ; Request BRNS for a re-validation of the project from 1-April. This will essentially ensure you that your project gets the full 12 months of the first year. PI can use the template on his/her official letterhead and send it to the Programme officer, PFRC, BRNS in the address given in the template. An email copy can also be sent in advance to the Programme Officer.


Q. My project has been approved and project funds have been received, but I am now moving to a new institute/college/University. Is it possible to transfer the project and funds to my new affiliation ? If so, what is the procedure ?  

A. The BRNS project (along with budget) is primarily awarded to the PI's Institute. In the event that the PI is moving to a new affiliation, BRNS will permit a transfer of the project along with the funds and equipment to the new affiliation on receipt of a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the head of the current affiliation agreeing to transfer the project and funds to the new affiliation and a NOC from the head of the affiliation to which the transfer is sought, agreeing to accept the transfer of the project along with its funds.  In the event that the PI's affiliation refuses to grant a transfer NOC, the institute will have to find a new PI for the project. If not, the project is cancelled and the budget returned to BRNS.  

Template for NoC from institute seeking transfer of project

Template for NoC from institute accepting transfer of project


Q. My project has completed the first year and the project would require additional funding / manpower. What is the procedure to obtain additional funding ?

A. PI has to first make the request for budget (along with adequate justifications) during the yearly review and if the request is approved by the Committee, then the PI will have to submit the  Project Renewal Application (PRA), template of which is available with the BRNS portal. Same is the case for any request for additional manpower.


Q. My project has completed the first year and there us unspent amount in the project funds. can it be carried forward to the next year ?  

A. PI has to first make the request to the PFRC committee for carrying forward the unspent amount in the budget, with the approval of the PC and along with adequate justifications during the yearly review, which will then be decided upon by the Committee.  


Q. My project will be completing its term in March and I require a few months extension to complete the work. What is the procedure ?  

A. For any extension without financial committment, PI has to first make the request to BRNS with the approval of the PC and along with adequate justifications. If approved, PI will receive the extension communication from BRNS.    



Q. I wish to publish results (in journal, conference etc) / apply for patent / from the project sanctioned by BRNS. What is the procedure ?

A. Before sending the results from the project related work for any publication / patent etc, the PI must consult the PC and take permission for the same. The author list of the publication/patent should contain the name of the PC/Co-PC.  For applying for patent, it is mandatory for the PI and PC should go through the DAE patent wing.





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